Why You Can Trust CNET Best Xbox Game Pass Deals: Fight Back Against Microsoft's Price Hike With Savings of Over 60%
Xbox Game Pass subscriptions have now gone up, so take advantage of these ultimate discounts.
It's all changed again for Xbox. Microsoft has once again introduced a new pricing structure for its core gaming subscription, Xbox Game Pass. And while we'd all appreciate a price cut of any kind, it's naturally gone the other way with an increase across every tier alongside introducing a new standard subscription.
With so many changes, it can be a bit of a minefield. After all, we just want to play the latest games at a reasonable price. So to make things easier, we've broken down every tier for Xbox Game Pass. This includes monthly, annual and the differences between PC Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
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Another change, that we mentioned, on the horizon is that Microsoft announced a new tier -- Xbox Game Pass Standard -- that will cost $15 and will be available from the middle of September. It won't involve day-one releases like Call of Duty, Indiana Jones and Microsoft Flight Simulator but is still a cheaper way to access the subscription.
Regardless, we'll continue to update this page as Xbox deals come and go, so be sure to check back often for the best prices available.
Game Pass Core vs. Console vs. Ultimate
This announcement brings new rates and tiers. New subscribers will start paying new rates for all tiers immediately. Folks who are already subscribed to Xbox Game Pass will see price hikes starting in September, which gives them a few months to enjoy current rates. Below we'll break down each tier and its changes. Microsoft also announced a new tier Xbox Game Pass Standard, which will cost only $15 per month. It's due for release in September, as well.
Game Pass Core
Game Pass Core will stay at $10 per month, but the annual rate will go from $60 per year to $75 per year. It covers what was previously included with a Gold subscription, including access to online multiplayer for console gamers. This new membership also includes access to a library of over 25 titles, including popular games like Halo 5: Guardians and Fallout 4.
PC Game Pass
If you're a PC gamer, PC Game Pass is still budget-friendly. It will go from $10 to $12 per month, but it still includes access to a much larger library of hundreds of PC games and access to new games on Day 1. This subscription also includes an EA Play membership, which adds a few more titles to your library and provides some exclusive rewards and content for select EA games.
Game Pass Console
Game Pass Console subscriptions will be phased out. You'll be able to enjoy it if you're an existing subscriber to this plan, but new sign-ups won't be able to choose this from any of Microsoft's options.
Game Pass Standard
This new tier appears to be Microsoft's replacement for Game Pass Console. It's not available yet but is due to appear in the coming months. Once out, it will cost $15 per month and offer perks such as select discounts, online multiplayer and other benefits of the soon-to-be phased-out Console tier. It won't include games released on day one.
Game Pass Ultimate
Game Pass Ultimate is the best of all worlds and has been more or less untouched by the revamp. It will go from $17 per month to $20, and an Ultimate subscription bundles the benefits of a Core and Console membership. You'll get access to the entire Game Pass library on your console, PC and mobile device, including access to select titles on day one, and you'll have the ability to participate in online multiplayer as well.
You'll also get perks like exclusive offers and in-game content, and it includes the EA Play subscription that you get with the PC membership. Like many people, our reviewer called Game Pass Ultimate the "best content deal in gaming" and it's the best option out there for all-around gamers who don't want to compromise.
Best subscription deals available right now
Unlike the comparable subscriptions for PlayStation, there's no official annual membership plan. Deals directly from Xbox turn up occasionally, but they're usually just for new subscribers. Because the revamp is still pretty new, there aren't too many discounts yet, but you can score some savings through third parties with a little digging. To help you save some cash each month, we've rounded up some of the best (and only) ones available right now below.
If you want to just go one month at a time, don't bother with Microsoft's official pricing. CDKeys has the same Xbox Game Pass Ultimate monthly subscription available but for $9 cheaper. Get access to hundreds of games across console, PC and cloud along with day-one releases, discounts and an EA Play membership for 34% less. Why pay more?
This CDKeys deal is the best value you'll find right now if you're after a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Ultimate already saves you a little over $3 a month by bundling a Game Pass Core and Console membership, and this three-month subscription deal saves $29 over a 3-month period. Existing or previous Game Pass subscribers can purchase these codes and can be stacked. You can extend your membership and pay for several months ahead of time at a lower cost.
Another retailer that is offering a cheaper solution than Microsoft's official pricing is Amazon's subsidiary Woot. It has both a one-month and three-month subscription up for grabs and though it's not as cheap as CDKeys, it's ideal for anyone wanting to stack discounts with the latter only allowing a quantity of five.
If you don't fancy signing up for an annual subscription then there is a terrific six-month option that typically runs at $10 a month. Thanks to this CDKeys offer, the subscription gets taken down to the equivalent of around $6 each month.
If you only want a basic Game Pass Core membership, you can score some big savings when you sign up through CDKeys. This deal scores you a 12-month subscription for just $43, which costs just under $4 per month vs. the usual $10. That's a massive $77 saving.
