Xbox Seeks to Reclaim Millions of Gamers Following Price Increase

In October 2025, Xbox significantly increased Game Pass prices, a move that led to a loss of millions of subscribers, as noted by Xbox’s chief strategy officer, Matthew Ball. Speaking at the Summer Game Fest’s The Game Business Live event, he provided insights into the impact of this decision on the service.

“We lost millions of subscribers in just a few months,” Ball stated. The price for Game Pass Ultimate, the premium tier, jumped from $19.99 to $29.99 per month, a change that many players found too steep. As of February 2024, Game Pass boasted over 34 million subscribers, but the current count remains undisclosed.

Since the price hike, under the leadership of new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Ball mentioned that Xbox has “corrected that offering.” In a leaked memo from April 2026, Sharma acknowledged that Game Pass had become “too expensive for players,” leading to a price reduction later that month. The new cost for Game Pass Ultimate is now $22.99 per month—still higher than the original $19.99, but a significant drop from the previous $29.99. Additionally, a more affordable, streamlined version was introduced in May as part of Xbox’s collaboration with Discord.

To regain players, Xbox is not only lowering Game Pass prices but also focusing on delivering more exclusive titles. After experimenting with releasing its IP on other consoles—like Master Chief appearing on PlayStation 5—Xbox is reassessing its strategy regarding exclusives.

“Players can expect a consistent stream of content that reinforces their investment in the Xbox platform and encourages them to remain loyal,” Ball remarked at The Game Business Live event. “Everyone in the industry recognizes that exclusives are crucial for the growth and branding of the platform.”

However, following the recent Xbox Games Showcase, the emphasis on exclusive titles seems more like a public relations effort for now. It remains to be seen if appealing to hardcore gamers with nostalgia-driven console war rhetoric will successfully bring back those who left less than a year ago, as well as attract new players needed for the upcoming generational shift.

It’s an intriguing time for Xbox! At least there are some genuinely great games available on Game Pass.