Xbox Game Pass Announces Major Price Hikes and Tier Restructuring Ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Launch

Xbox Game Pass has announced a comprehensive overhaul of its subscription tiers, introducing new plans and significant price adjustments. The changes, which include a notable increase for the popular Ultimate tier, are set to take effect shortly. The new structure divides the service into three main plans: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. The Essential plan, formerly known as Core, will now be priced at €8.99 per month, offering access to over 50 games and cloud gaming. The Premium plan, previously Standard, maintains its €12.99 monthly price but expands its game library to over 200 titles, including new Xbox-published games within 12 months of launch. However, a key exclusion for the Premium tier is that new Call of Duty titles, such as the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, will not be available on day one. The top-tier Ultimate plan will see its price increase from €17.99 to €26.99 per month. This plan continues to offer over 400 games, day-one access to new Xbox-published titles, and enhanced cloud gaming benefits. The PC Game Pass also sees a price adjustment, rising to €14.99 per month. These changes occur approximately one month before the highly anticipated release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, a timing that has drawn attention from the gaming community.