2025-10-03 09:57:33
Microsoft’s director of gaming and platform communications Dustin Blackwell has insisted Xbox is “adding more value” to Xbox Game Pass after the service’s massive price hike.
Xbox caused fury online after announcing it would be increasing the cost of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 to $29.99 a month, and Blackwell has now defended the 50 per cent price hike.
Speaking with The Verge, he said: “We understand price increases are never fun for anybody, but we’re trying to reinforce by adding more value to these plans as well.
“It’s something we don’t take lightly, and we’re listening to the feedback of players and the community to try to provide them with more of what they’re asking for.”
Blackwell noted the Ultimate plan now comes with access “to more than 400 titles globally”.
He continued: “[Game Pass Ultimate] will now include access to more than 400 titles globally, this includes the majority of our partners who want to continue to bring their future games to Xbox Game Pass.”
The executive added Xbox has added 45 games to Game Pass Ultimate on October 1 alone, including Hogwarts Legacy, a handful of Assassin’s Creed titles, and several more Ubisoft games.
He said: “We’re also now giving access to more than 75 day one releases each year.
“That’s a 50 percent increase over the day one titles we provided last year.”
Alongside the Game Pass Ultimate price hike, Microsoft increased the cost of PC Game Pass from $11.99 to $16.49 per month, though both tiers will still include day-one releases.
Subscribers on the Premium plan will also gain access to first-party Xbox titles within a year of launch, with the exception of Call of Duty.
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