Xbox Game Pass Changes: No Longer The Best Deal In Gaming? | Spot On 

Subscriptions remove the power of ownership and control from the consumer.

Im not a fan of the idea of everything being a subscription. For that much money you can buy a bunch of games on sale/used. If you need to buy xbox gamepass core for multiplayer. Then play all the games on core that you want and then dont buy other games until you dont have need it.

To be honest this price change is confusing for people like me that haven’t even purchased the platform yet. It’s making it appear like newcomers should just go for Game Pass Ultimate when it may not be needed. Sony needs to stop with the price increases also.

Classic big business. Corner the market, raise the prices.

I actually play at least 3 games(usually more) added every month for the month going on 3yrs now. So yeah, still definitely worth it for me

I play mainly using a combo of PC and PS5. I haven't had a sub service in over 2 years now. They aren't worth it to me. It's better imo to wait for sales and buy select games that interest me than constantly forking over money monthly to these greedy corporations.

I don’t think it’s been a messy transitional year for them, it’s been a messy transitional 10 years at least 😅

For $3 more i get to play jedi survivor diablo etc $70 games that id have to buy to play its still worth it

I wish when you talked about this subscription you didn't just focus on the Chislet POV. In my opinion there are three parties to the subscription: 1) customers, 2) studios and 3) Microsoft. I think there's probably some negatives on the economics for companies...it creates a safety net but I wonder if it also reduces the heights of some companies' revenue

Store sales being locked behind Gamepass subscription is just sad. Next gen ill be switching over to PS6 and obviously continue on pc/Steam.

If you buy 12 games a year in UK that’s £780. Gamepass is only £180. Its still a good value for me.

I mostly play 3rd party games on gamepass though so I’m snot sure I care about the day and date as much. Just this year on gamepass I’ve played: SpiritFarer Inscription Diablo IV (I guess that’s 1st party now - but wasn’t day and date) Jedi Survivor Harold Halibut Starfield Age of Empires II Lightyear Frontier Little Gator Game (my daughter) Open Roads Blasphemous & PalWorld If I had to purchase all those games I would’ve spent way more than I have on my GamePass sub so far.

after 13 months xbox will probably raise prices again

Well, this is what it will mean for me. I will be forced to pay $100 a month just to play Call of Duty multiplayer online. Does that sound like a good deal?

Didn’t they did the same thing with Starfield ?

Still a great deal. I've always had Ultimate, so no tier change for me. I also love competitive shooters and Gamepass has most of them in one location and now COD is joining the mix. I do a lot of cloud gaming when I travel as well.

Still the best deal .. an extra few dollars a month doesn't change that honestly. If you play more then 3 day one then it's still the deal ... No one else offers this many day one games plus a huge library the size of game pass

its still a great deal. Even better if you are simply a PC game pass subscriber. You still get day one xbox titles with game pass on top of all the normal titles on there but only a $2 jump in price. It went from $9.99 to $11.99. a lot of subscription tv/movie services are arguably worse deals.

I do think its worth it. I am always trying new games I would never consider buying otherwise. And I always play the day 1 games. The only thing that annoys me, is when they did their xbox showcase they said they would not up the price of game pass. And then all of a sudden they did out of no where... thats annoying. Dont lie about it when asked and then do it later when the hype is up.

If and when I eventually get an Xbox (Series X or even the next gen iteration) I’ll still see heaps of value in Game Pass Ultimate and will probably sign up month-to-month/3-months at a time. So long as *higher sub costs* mean *more dev job security*

The tiers aren’t that confusing. The naming convention is easier to follow than PS Plus where the games included in Premium rather than Extra really don’t seem to have any rhyme or reason to them. With Game Pass Standard all you need to know is you’ll have to wait a set amount of time for new games.

Mhmm tryna Get that $69 Billion Back lol

5 dollars more for ultimate and it includes COD. For 20 we get Xbox, indies, EA, etc etc. Still not bad at all.

Microsoft needs a "SOS".

Xbox game pass ultimate is definitely worth the $19.99 a month i'll continue my subscription on my xbox series x. I'm looking forward to playing black ops 6 vault edition upgrade with xbox game pass ultimate for $30.🥂😎

Need to change the name XBox to COD machine.

min 2:07 Lucy's face, that's your new meme right there

Price hikes always leave a bad taste in fans, but stopping things like stacking subscriptions can anger us more to the point of cancelling altogether.

The phrase "CoD Tax" has been coined for the Game Pass price increases, but a price increase was inevitable, regardless, of Xbox acquiring Activision/CoD, or not. However, Xbox is gambling on the appeal a "cheaper" GP subscription will entice casual CoD players more than the PlayStation $70+ price tag. What they fail to realize is the majority of CoD players are on PS, already. So, if a PS player wanted to get a "cheaper" deal, they still have to fork out $300-$500 (Series S, or X) for a new console + Game Pass Ultimate that includes online. Nobody is talking about these "hidden" fees... Especially, not Xbox. Also, let's say, a CoD player decides to play BO6 on GP, console or PC. They'll quickly realize to maintain access to the game, they'll have to keep paying a monthly GP subscription that eventually adds up to far more than a one time $70 purchase where they own the game outright. So, it's not as easy a sell as Xbox is hoping, but we'll see this Fall, if the CoD-Game Pass gamble pays off, and if it raises GP subscription numbers on the back of these price increases, or not.

Still a good deal though... I mean three more bucks a month big freaking deal!

I don’t understand why almost nobody is talking about the inevitable ad supported Game Pass.

It was briefly mentioned in this but feel like Microsoft's own production problems kneecapped the original Game Pass pitch from the beginning. The whole "Get Game Pass to play Xbox Studios games Day 1" was the pitch and initially the annual price of Game Pass was approximately the cost of buying two full priced games a year. So the math was if you were going to play two new Xbox Studios games that year then everything else was a bonus. But they've barely managed to get out two full priced games a year. Most years it's just been Obsidian (their true workhorse) filling in the gaps. So Game Pass has always been more about the games they've signed from other publishers. And as the costs have gone up it's less and less worth it to get Game Pass to play their games. But even with these price increases it's currently still a pretty good deal if your playing a lot of the $30 / $40 games available Day One on the service. Since I find there is at least two of those a month I'll check out. I was just reading through their official announcement page and it doesn't really seem like they've clarified what "Day One" games won't be on the standard tier. Obviously their own Day One games, this seems mostly to be a way for them to not include Black Ops 6 Day One but does it included the smaller technically Day One games they've signed from various indies? Like Flock came out today and unlike their own catalog those games are usually only signed for about a year so if their going to delay putting all Day One games on the Standard tier when it does come to that tier will it be available for less than a year? It just feels like their are a lot of logistical questions that we probably won't really know the answer to until the end of next year. Thankfully I got a crazy deal on GPU just before the last tier change so I'm good till 2026 and I can let these changes play out before I decide if I want to resubscribe but I feel like if your paying month-to-month right now you really should be only subbed if the games your playing that month cost more to buy than your sub.

Still cheaper than Netflix and considering the games coming its still a amazing deal,so not really a issue and we have been expecting the price increase.

People are reaching subscription fatigue. Jacking up the prices isn't going to help Xbox grow Gamepass. They are just delaying the inevitable when it comes to being a third party publisher.

It's worth 20. I got to spend 850 for just a Big Mac

Dude the Game pass deal includes enough games 1st and 3rd party to merit the price. Streaming capability plus PC or Console access make it a complex product for sure. However the value is understated by all sides. We're talking a debut pricing that was competitive with single game services such as WoW yall clowning to dispute the offering. It'd take substantially less titles and more cost to get chapped over the new business model that has been ubiquitous and embraced by devs and gamers alike. Not the old-school disc and download days players like myself get nostalgic over; when games were complete and accessible... Offline no less. take heart and play more fun titles than ever.

Course it is. Still getting thousands £/$ worth of games.

It still is, by far.

If you think it’s still not a good deal you’re a 🤖 so many day 1 games it’s insane Xbox knows what they’re doing. I think thier plan eventually will make them a service only company

Just the top of my head for this year: Senua 2, OctoPath 2, Chained Echoes, Second replay of Persona 3 Reload, Jedi Survivor. Still the best deal in gaming to me.

It was expected. It’s not THAT complicated. Especially as the PC tier is irrelevant to console users. Three tiers. Basic: Play on line. Standard: some stuff. Everything: Everything

These two are always so joyless in their videos. You're talking about video games for chrissakes, cheer up!

Yes it is. Ultimate and core are going up a few bucks. They're adding a new tier between those that splits the difference. It is still worth it. $240 a year for ultimate is 3-4 new games in cost. I can play that in one month on top of the tons of indie and 3rd party games and make my moneys worth for the year.

As a potential Xbox/Gamepass customer the price increase doesn’t make a difference to my sense of value I’d get buying in to the system. Price increases always happen and the value still looks really good if you’ve got the time for the games. Also as a potential customer, I already have a backlog of critically acclaimed games for other systems to play that I’ve bought cheaply on sale because I’m sure I’d like them and are now gathering dust. Obviously I should just play those. I reckon if I had already bought into Xbox Series I’d stick with Gamepass just fine and be content with it. There’s just no pull towards Xbox for me this generation however. I’m actually still happily gaming on PS4 and Switch. PS5 appeals more than Xbox but if I were to buy any remotely new hardware it’d be a Steam Deck. Maybe Gamepass could get me there?

Where was this last year when sony increased thier by prices 35%

Still worth it on PC for sure

Please teach me how to get 13 months that’s gone you buy a Xbox live gold that’s $60 then pay for a 1 month ultimate game pass you get 13 months that deal is gone Microsoft now takes months away from you once you upgrade to ultimate you get 7 months instead of 13 months this has been happening since they changed it to core nobody is complaining

Spot On should just be renamed downer news or something. This is the most depressing show Gamespot produces. P.S Honestly: Core = XBLG Standard = No Day One Console = Day One on Console PC = Day One on PC Ultimate all of the above + Cloud + EAPlay.

I am NOT a fan of the price increases at all. However, the BIG problem with the recent announcement of Game Pass changes and price increases is they nerfed Game Pass for Console, and only giving Day One Releases + Cloud Gaming to console users with Game Pass Ultimate. This is BS. Game Pass Standard SHOULD include Day One releases. I have always seen Ultimate as the COMBINATION of the best of both console and PC. I would prefer to see: - Game Pass Core = Xbox Network + Back Catalogue + Deals @ $9.99 per month (or $69.99 Annually) - Game Pass Standard = Xbox Network + Back Catalogue + Day One Releases + Deals @ $14.99 per month - Game Pass PC = PC Back Catalogue + Day One PC Releases + Deals + EA Play @ $11.99 per month - Game Pass Ultimate = Combination of Game Pass Standard & Game Pass PC + Cloud Gaming + Perks @ $19.99 per month Only Ultimate would include Cloud gaming natively. I would then create Xbox Cloud Gaming as a separate item that could be added to either Core, Standard, or PC for $1.99 extra per month. Bottom line: There needs to be a Tier for console that includes Day One Releases without having to go to Ultimate (where console gamers are paying for PC access and Cloud gaming they may not want or ever use). And YES! Online access should be FREE on consoles!

If AAA game = $70 & GP Ultimate = $20/month then 1 year of GP Ultimate = $240 which is more than the cost of 3 games/year. I don't buy three AAA games per year, so I certainly wouldn't subscribe to a catalog worth 3 AAA games/year if I don't own the games at the end.

“Probably”

If you offer more content, you can’t ask for more money?

it is if you share it with 2 people lol.

For me, gamepass is still a great deal.

I mainly play Fallout 76.Luckily I get my ultimate through my son's account and he won't bat an eye about an extra $3 because it IS worth it when you see the price of new games these days! For me I'm just trying to keep up my Fallout First subscription, Sadly, Fallout 76 is pretty much unplayable without it! 😓

I prefer to own my games and movies. Too many subs these days. Too many things come and go. And what about dlc?

They seem to have overcomplicated the description of this, the only tier with no day one access is core. Console, PC and Ultimate all include day one. PC and Ultimate also include EA Play.

GamePass is just 2013 Xbox/MS but in a slightly more palatable format. You own nothing and you will keep paying the higher prices previously told would not happen.

Humble monthy is the best deal now, you kept the games forever

I don't personally care about cloud or PC and day one releases as long as they come on later date to standard BUT EA games is also not on the GP standard make it useless.

The library is much less than steam and I hate fomo. So it isn't for me, even before this update.

They banking on cod being the factor? 😂😂😂 I haven’t bought a cod since ww2. I was going to keep it even after the last increase. My 2 year subscription I had for game pass just ended too. I renewed then the very next day they announced 20 a month. I canceled and got my money back. If I really want to play bo6 I will just wait a month until Black Friday.

I mean to get black ops free and play 5 other games I play free that basically pay for the yr and to try other free games

The more I think about this.... the less I'lll be subbing to GP

This is going to cost them a lot of subscribers, at a time when they desperately need to see their subscription growth in numbers!

The Steam Deck might be the best possible deal in gaming at the moment.

As a non cod player I have no interest in continuing as a gp ultimate subscriber. I can live without day one releases

I can't recall one single video like this when ps+ went up in price ...

I don't know. Why don't you all just answer the question and spoil it for us like the rest of your content.

Tamoor nails it when saying it feels more like Microsoft now than Xbox. Also worrying how many of the Summer Games Fest exclusives were at the presentation way before the Series X release. Where's Everwild now!?

over 90% of GP users are already on Ultimate. Does $3 a month tip the scales if you're the type of customer interested in GPU? If you play anything mp that isn't f2p you need to then spend at least $75 a year on Core for mp access. Is it worth doing that and buying games that are on GP outright for most? The $240 a year ignores the value that is in the service if you're a customer interested in the 40+ day one titles and 500+ vault titles in the service. Do you want to use cloud? Do you play non-f2p mp games? The tiers were made less confusing, it's a straight upgrade path now, too. - Core gets you MP, deals, small vault - Standard gets you mp, deals, large vault - Ultimate gets you mp, deals, biggest vault, day one, PC, cloud, GPU perks, and ea play - PC gets you PC vault (over 500 now), day one games, and ea play for PC If you were on game pass console (very few were) you can keep it at the same price as before for as long as you keep it active. Nothing about this is "confusing" when it's your job to properly understand it.

These two were happy to make this video, let’s be honest.

Gamespot = Pony fanbois

I cancelled a few months back and thanks to gamepass making sure i own nothing my xbox sits forgotten about and unused. This essentially just ensures im done with microsoft.

if you need a flow chart or spreadsheet to game you know they eff'ed up...

The most unacceptable thing is introducing the Game pass standard tier without day one games that would cost the same as legacy Game Pass for Console with day one games. Either there should be a price difference or legacy tier should be converted to standard once the stacked up subscription is exhausted. Same price, but no day one games to new subscribers could not be justified at all.

All the current MS strategy is telling me is that Phil flat out lied to Series S/X owners. They are not the priority. On the contrary, they are treated as second class citizens. I think I've seen like 5 Series S/X ads in real life. Marketing for their console is already next to non-existent in the UK, and they are thinking of cutting it back even more? They put 1st party games on PS5 and make PC Gamepass objectively better than Core and Standard. Almost as if they actively wanted potential new consumers to play anywhere other than Series consoles. I'm sorry, but I'm done. I'm not throwing my Series X away or canceling what's left of my legacy Gamepass subscription, but this was the last Xbox console for me.

I've always said standalone ea play was and still is the best deal in gaming. $5 a month or $30 a YEAR is simply too hard to beat. Who cares if it's all ea games there is a variety of them to keep you busy.

When you guys are slow folks finally going to catch on. MS is nefarious when it comes to the gaming industry. They have no respect for gaming culture whatsoever. Abandon them, like they abandon every single promise they make.

Goodbye Game pass. It was fun but now it's too expensive. I don't need another £15 subscription in my life when food and energy is getting more expensive. Also, it will keep going up annually, so nah.

Ahh yes GameSpot talks about Game Pass again, I wonder how they'll misinform their audience this time

Sounds similar to Ubisoft. You pay the cheaper price for the "classics" & the higher price for newer games. Still an OK deal if you want to play a new single player game & beat it in a month. To be fair, I don't think Microsoft really care about selling you an Xbox anymore. If you get the tier with cloud gaming, you can play on your smart TV.

I know this isn't new but I just want to say I love this format of you guys just chatting about the news 😊 stay awesome Gamespot

I have ultimate and going up a couple of bucks is not too bad, JUST KEEP THE NEW GAMES COMING!!!!!

Whatever you say. The fan still think it is the best

I see Lucy, i click

The greed of these companies is DISGUSTING 🤦🏾‍♂️

It's really not that complicated. I dont understand why it's hard to recommend when there is no other competitor really doing anything comparable. Basically, if you play more than 2 full priced games a year on the subscription, you're getting your moneys worth.

It's never nice to see a price increase, but it won't change anything for me. I will continue to pay for one month, then cancel renewal until something big or interesting comes along.

Kinda makes you think it’s a blessing we never got the Xbox streaming box. Would hate to have a useless device lying around because they just decide to jack up the price whenever they want

Prime

All the All these Services are Going up in Price and at the end of the Day we Don’t Own None of those Games they are all digital Things are going in a bad Direction in the future For digital Games

its 2 dollars

You can see that this is nothing but a clickbait video why don't they look at PlayStation and compare their prices of their subscriptions and what they offer they offer far less for a higher price you guys need to stop acting like fanboys and start acting like gaming journalist

Literally still the best deal in gaming. Ya can't be serious. Look at what has been added just in the past month. Stop it

Hey get a PS5 hey you already play online try extra for a month play some games 😅

None of those over-glorified rental subscriptions are good. I cancelled my gamepass ultimate sub because it isn't worth it.

As someone that's been a part of the Xbox ecosystem for 15 years, it's expected. The value is there imo. If I want a new game, theres a huge library. This is how the world works now. Everything gets increased, that's economics. How else will Microsoft pay for all their acquisitions?

Name a better deal. Seriously. Even at the higher price, name a subscription with as many back catalogue and new releases...

Phil Spencer is completely incompetent and he's always been. Out of touch with anything in his department, shutting down Arkane and Tango, killing XBOX'S Flagship franchises like Halo and Gears of War with DEI hiring. He needs to go the damage has already been done.