dailyloe.com – Microsoft’s new Xbox chief has signaled upcoming changes to Xbox Game Pass pricing. Asha Sharma admitted the service has become too expensive in an internal memo. The memo was obtained by The Verge and addressed to Xbox employees. Sharma stated Microsoft needs a better value equation for players.
Game Pass is central to gaming value on the Xbox platform. Sharma also said the current model is not the final one. She outlined both short-term and long-term plans for the service. The company will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system.
Sharma referenced online chatter about rumors of pricing changes. She said she would go deeper with Xbox employees next week. No immediate price changes are expected in the coming days. Sharma is aware of the pricing issues and is preparing to address them.
Microsoft increased the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate last year. The price was hiked to $29.99 per month. This represented a massive 50 percent increase from the previous cost. The company justified the hike with upgrades across all Game Pass tiers.
Part of the cost increase was due to adding Call of Duty. Microsoft added Call of Duty to Game Pass in the summer of 2024. The decision to include it was debated internally nearly two years prior. Some at Microsoft were concerned it would undermine typical Call of Duty sales revenue.
Over the weekend, Jez Corden of Windows Central hinted at a possible change. He suggested Microsoft might take Call of Duty out of Game Pass this year. Corden made the comments on the XB2+1 podcast. He said such a move could reveal cracks in the company’s strategy.[]
Source: The Verge
