Xbox Game Pass Standard Tier Won't Include Day One Titles as Microsoft Hikes Prices Again

Microsoft has quietly revealed it will not include day one releases like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in the standard Xbox Game Pass tier amid price hikes to the service.

First reported by Windows Central and outlined on Xbox Support, Microsoft is raising the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $16.99 to $19.99 a month in the U.S. It's also replacing its more basic $10.99 Xbox Game Pass Console tier with Xbox Game Pass Standard — a $14.99 option which doesn't include the beloved day one release feature, "specific entries to the Game Pass Ultimate library," access to EA Play, Xbox Cloud Gaming, perks, Quests, and discounts on games in the Game Pass library.

Microsoft didn't commit to eventually bringing these titles to Xbox Game Pass either, saying titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 "may be added to the library at a future date."

Those wanting to play these games at launch, and potentially at all, will therefore need to pay for the rolling $19.99 a month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier once these price changes go into effect for new members on July 10, 2024 and for existing members on September 12, 2024.

PC Game Pass is also rising from $9.99 a month to $11.99 a month, while the most basic Xbox Game Pass Core tier is rising from $59.99 to $74.99 a year. It will remain at $9.99 a month, however.

Finally, Microsoft will only allow its users to pre-pay for Xbox Game Pass for Console for up to 13 months going forward. Users with more months than 13 months already paid for will not be affected.

Price rises will go into effect worldwide, with a full list of affected countries and specific changes in local currencies available here.

Microsoft last raised prices on Xbox Game Pass in 2023, raising the Ultimate tier price from $14.99/month to $16.99/month in its first price hike since 2017. Paying $14.99 a month for Xbox Game Pass therefore nets users significantly less than it did just one year ago, with Microsoft essentially removing day one titles, EA Play, cloud gaming, and free perks from the service in that time.

Rumors have circulated since May 2024 that Xbox was pondering an additional price increase, especially given the planned addition of future Call of Duty games day-one to the service following Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year.

The gaming arm has also been making a number of cost-cutting changes in recent months, including shutting down Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin in May, and announcing the lay-off of 1,900 staff members in January.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

This article was amended after publication to include further details about Xbox Game Pass pricing tiers and what's included in each.