Game Pass’ New Price Drop Is The First Step In Saving Xbox

Xbox dropped a surprise announcement on April 21. No, they weren’t uncanceling “Scalebound” (although that would be amazing); the company was decreasing the price of Game Pass Ultimate. To say people across the internet were overjoyed would do the company and its customers a disservice, but this decision might be the first step towards redeeming the Xbox brand.

Game Pass is dropping from $29.99 to $22.99 per month, while the PC Game Pass is receiving a comparable price decrease from $16.49 to $13.99. This is a huge boon in the current economy, as subscription services such as Netflix are increasing their prices across the board. And of course we can’t forget about electronics prices — the Xbox Series X now costs between $599.99 and $799.99, depending on the model. With all the companies squeezing our wallets for all they’re worth, it’s a solace seeing one trying to relieve the pressure.

But can this price drop really help save Xbox? There is precedent — well, kind of. When Microsoft started selling the Xbox One, early copies came bundled with the Kinect. This decision made the console $100 more expensive than its competitor, the PlayStation 4, which gave Sony’s console a leg up in sales. Why spend $499 on a console with a peripheral you don’t want (but need to use) when you can spend $399 on a different console? When Microsoft finally wised up and sold a Kinect-less Xbox One for $399, the company saw markedly increased sales. It wasn’t enough to bridge the gap between console sales numbers, but the message was clear: Lower prices result in more sales and higher customer satisfaction.

When the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate increased by $10 in 2025, Microsoft seemingly justified the change by stating the service would include more games, and that “partners” wanted their titles on Game Pass. Many gamers concluded this decision was linked to the then-recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and the now-recent price slash has seemingly confirmed that suspicion.

When Xbox announced it was lowering subscription fees for Game Pass Ultimate and PC, the press release stated it would come at the cost of “Call of Duty.” Going forward, future entries won’t launch day one on Game Pass but instead arrive one year later. Since many gamers assumed the franchise’s addition was responsible for the price hike, this removal is cutting to the root of the matter to alleviate its symptoms. We won’t lose the “Call of Duty” entries currently available through the service, though, so people who enjoy the titles can still play them. Then again, the “Call of Duty” franchise is a shadow of its former self.

If we are being frank, “Call of Duty” has been on the decline for quite a while. The most recent entry, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,” isn’t just the worst game in the franchise but a genuinely bad game with poor design choices, a nonsensical story, and AI-generated content. This recent release was a metaphorical slap in the face to many gamers and Game Pass subscribers. This was the title Xbox was using to justify the $30 a month Game Pass Ultimate fee? I’m pretty sure studios have been hit by layoffs or closures for less, so refusing to give “Call of Duty” preferential Game Pass treatment is definitely a move in the right direction.

While lowering the price of Game Pass and removing future “Call of Duty” games from the lineup is a good start, that’s all it is: a start. Unless Microsoft follows up this decision with other good calls, the Xbox name won’t be salvaged.

The next step should ideally tackle other price hikes. Currently, Xbox consoles mostly match PlayStation 5 prices — which also saw their own price hikes. But again, the PS4’s cheaper cost helped fuel its sales; if the Xbox brand wants to stand a chance of matching or even exceeding the PS5’s sales numbers, Microsoft needs to convince customers the Xbox is a better deal. If not with the consoles or other Game Pass tiers, Microsoft can achieve the same effect with its games. In March, Nintendo announced it was changing the Switch 2’s game price structure and would sell digital copies for $10 cheaper. Yes, physical media has plenty of advantages over digital, but gamers have been complaining for ages that since digital games cost less to produce, those savings should be passed on to customers. Audiences praised Nintendo’s decision, and lightning could strike twice if Xbox follows suit.

The Xbox brand has a long road ahead of it, but it might be on the right track. Not only is Microsoft righting the wrongs of previous decisions, but the new head of Xbox, Asha Sharma, does not mince words. She outright admitted Xbox Game Pass Ultimate was “too expensive” for most audiences without any corporate doublespeak, and many gamers not only praised her bluntness but also credited her with the decision to decrease the subscription’s price. If Sharma is indeed responsible, she could be the Reggie Fils-Aimé of Microsoft.