Microsoft has announced a price reduction for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, effective today, while simultaneously confirming that future releases of the Call of Duty franchise will no longer be available on the platform at launch. The changes were disclosed by Microsoft Gaming boss Asha Sharma in a public statement and confirmed through internal communications shared with employees.
The adjustment comes after a significant price increase last October, when the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier rose by nearly 50 percent. Starting today, the Ultimate subscription will cost $22.99 per month in the United States, down from $29.99. In the United Kingdom, the price drops from £22.99 to £16.99 monthly. PC Game Pass will also see a reduction, falling from $16.49 to $13.99 in the US and from £13.49 to £10.99 in the UK.
Despite the lower cost, subscribers will no longer receive new Call of Duty titles on the day of their release. According to Microsoft, upcoming entries in the franchise—including this year’s unannounced release—will become available on Game Pass approximately one year after their initial launch. However, existing Call of Duty games already in the library, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, will remain accessible to subscribers. Other games from Microsoft-owned studios will continue to launch on the service the same day they are released.
The decision reflects a strategic shift following Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023. Internal estimates cited in a Bloomberg report suggested that including Call of Duty in the day-one Game Pass lineup resulted in approximately $300 million in lost sales revenue. Sharma acknowledged player feedback in her announcement, stating that the company aims to balance value across its diverse global audience while maintaining flexibility in its offerings.
Sharma also addressed the change in a post on Xbox Wire, emphasizing that the adjustment responds to concerns about the service’s cost-effectiveness. She noted that while no single model fits every user, the revised structure aims to better align pricing with content availability. The company reiterated that all currently available titles will remain accessible after the price change, and no existing benefits are being removed beyond the revised release window for future Call of Duty games.
The timing of the update follows a period of subscriber dissatisfaction after the previous price increase, which prompted some long-time users to cancel their subscriptions. Microsoft had attempted to offset the earlier increase by adding perks such as access to Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft Classics, but the latest adjustment signals a direct response to ongoing feedback about value perception.
As of today, the revised pricing is active across all supported regions. Microsoft has not announced any further changes to the service structure or pricing beyond this update. Users seeking the most current information about their subscription benefits are encouraged to consult the official Xbox website or account management portal.
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