Microsoft is holding off on raising the price of Xbox Game Pass for existing subscribers in select countries. The company has stated that members who have unsubscribed and attempt to re-subscribe will be charged the new price.
Microsoft has announced that it will hold off on raising the price on its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier, at least, for some subscribers in select countries.
The tech company announced significant price raises across all its tiers last week, much to the dismay of fans, who would go on to crash the website responsible for cancelling subscriptions to the Game Pass service.
The new prices would see a 50% increase across all tiers, raising the most popular and highest tier, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, to $35.95 per month (from $22.95).
Microsoft is now saying that this price increase will only affect new purchases and not existing subscribers in countries like Germany, Ireland, South Korea, Poland and India.
In an email verified by The Verge, Microsoft shared an update to some Game Pass subscribers confirming that they would be unaffected by the price increases.
“At this time, these increases will only affect new purchases and will not affect your current subscription for the market in which you reside, as long as you are on an auto-recurring plan,” the company explained. “Should you choose to cancel your plan and repurchase, you will be charged at the new current rate.”
Kari Perez, the head of Xbox communications, would also confirm to The Verge that existing US and UK subscribers will still need to pay the increase. “Our recent Game Pass update remains unchanged. Current subscribers in certain countries will continue renewing at their existing price for now, in line with local requirements. We’ll provide advance notice before price adjustments take effect in these countries.”
The reason why some countries might be excluded from this price increase could likely be due to local regulations on subscription price changes. Microsoft has noted in its email that existing subscribers will be notified “at least 60 days in advance” of price changes, which will give consumers enough time to be aware of the price increases and not get caught off guard when their auto-renewal rolls over.
That’s not stopping fans from expressing their outrage, however. Microsoft would, however, claim the price increase is in service of an “upgraded” experience, offering more bang for players’ buck. In a statement, they’d write: “We know not everyone wants the same thing in their Xbox experience, so we’re evolving Game Pass to offer more flexibility, choice, and value to all players”.
To justify the price, Microsoft has increased the number of day-one releases, added Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics to the service. The company would also introduce a rewards system for users on the platform, awarding gamers points for playing, which they could go on to use to purchase games and DLC on the platform.
We’ve reached out to Xbox for comment to see where Australia sits among these changes.
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