adminThe Game Pass price cut lowers the cost of Microsoft’s highest-tier subscription, but it also changes when subscribers can play new Call of Duty games through the service. Xbox says the adjustments follow substantial player feedback and an internal assessment that Game Pass had become too expensive for some customers.
Image credit: Microsoft
Game Pass price cut: new monthly prices
Game Pass Ultimate will cost $22.99 per month, down from $29.99. PC Game Pass is also getting a reduction, from $16.49 to $13.99 per month. These are the prices announced by Xbox; subscribers should check their account or local Xbox storefront for the price and availability that apply to them.
The reductions do not return either subscription to its price before the increase in October 2025. At that time, Game Pass cost $19.99 on console and $11.99 on PC. As a result, the new monthly fees remain above those earlier levels, despite the latest cuts.
New Call of Duty games will arrive later
New Call of Duty releases will no longer be available on Game Pass Ultimate on their launch day. Xbox says new titles will instead be added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass during the following holiday season, roughly a year after release. Call of Duty games already in subscribers’ libraries will remain available under the announced change.
For players deciding whether to subscribe or buy a new release, the timing matters: Game Pass will not provide access to the newest Call of Duty at launch. The company’s pricing change may reduce subscription costs, but anyone who wants to play a new title immediately may still need to purchase it separately.
What the change could mean for Call of Duty players
Xbox’s comparison says that, over a year, the subscription savings for someone buying a Call of Duty game would be $72, largely offset by the game’s $69.99 price. The practical difference will depend on how long someone subscribes and whether they value access to other titles in the service during that period.
Microsoft added Call of Duty to Game Pass in 2024 and said that Black Ops 6 set subscription records for the service that year. Black Ops 7, released in 2025, reportedly performed less strongly. Analysts pointed to lower sales than its predecessor following mixed reviews, and Microsoft said it would stop releasing consecutive entries in the Black Ops and Modern Warfare series.
Why Xbox is adjusting Game Pass
Xbox described the revisions as a response to feedback from players with different preferences and budgets. Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma has also said the service should become more flexible, while noting that changes will require testing and learning over time.
The decision comes as Microsoft’s latest financial results showed content and services revenue down 5% year over year, which the company attributed to first-party content performance. Hardware revenue fell 32% over the same period. Game Pass subscriber figures have not been regularly reported since 2022, and the service has faced questions about its performance. Microsoft’s $75.4 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2022 has also put the economics of bringing Call of Duty to the subscription under scrutiny.
What subscribers should keep in mind
- Ultimate and PC Game Pass have different monthly price reductions.
- New Call of Duty games are expected roughly a year after release, not on launch day.
- The new prices remain higher than the rates in place before the October 2025 increase.
In short, the Game Pass price cut makes subscriptions less expensive than they were immediately before this announcement, while changing the day-one value proposition for Call of Duty fans. Xbox says it will continue to listen to customer feedback, and the details may evolve as the company tests a more flexible approach.
