Microsoft has delayed its controversial Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price increase in some countries — but not the U.S. or UK.
Last week, Microsoft sparked a backlash with its decision to raise the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 a month to $29.99 a month (a 50% increase that amounts to an extra $120 a year).
To justify the price hike, Microsoft upped the number of day one releases per year to 75, and added Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics for the first time ever. There were also upgrades to Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming quality.
Microsoft said the new $30 a month Ultimate price reflected “the expanded catalog, new partner benefits, and upgraded cloud gaming experience.”
But that didn’t stop fans from reassessing whether Game Pass remained right for them. IGN’s poll on the issue, which now has over 41,000 voters, shows 53.9% of our audience will not subscribe to Game Pass at all. 19.9% said they were going for Ultimate despite the price rise.
The updated pricing went into effect on October 1 for new subscribers, and was set to kick in on November 4 for all current subscribers. But now, Microsoft has confirmed it has delayed the Ultimate price hike in some countries, such as Ireland and South Korea. In an email to subscribers in these countries, Microsoft said the increases would only affect new subscribers, not existing subscribers, as long as they auto-renew. If Ultimate subscribers cancel then re-subscribe, they’ll be charged at the new rate.
Microsoft subsequently confirmed the decision. In a statement to The Verge, the company said the delay was due to “local requirements,” which likely means the company must give subscribers a set period of time before making price changes. Unfortunately for subscribers in the U.S. and UK, this does not apply to them.
“Our recent Game Pass update remains unchanged,” Microsoft said in the statement. “Current subscribers in certain countries will continue renewing at their existing price for now, in line with local requirements. We’ll provide advance notice before price adjustments take effect in these countries.”
The “for now” part of Microsoft’s statement suggests the price hike will eventually hit all countries in which Ultimate is available. It’s a case of when, not if.
This week, Microsoft confirmed it had also scrapped the Xbox Game Pass discount on DLC purchases, giving subscribers more points for use in its Rewards scheme instead. That change hasn’t gone down well, either.
The cost of being an Xbox fan has been a hot topic in recent months. After announcing a jump to $80 for its games due out this holiday, Microsoft back-tracked to stick with $70 for the likes of The Outer Worlds 2. And just last month Microsoft raised the price of Xbox consoles in the U.S. “due to changes in the macroeconomic environment.”
Microsoft similarly raised eyebrows when it confirmed a $999.99 price tag for the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally X handheld, and $599.99 for the ROG Xbox Ally.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Source link
