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What Microsoft’s 2025 delay meant
GamesRadar reported on October 7, 2025 that Microsoft had confirmed some existing subscribers in certain countries would not immediately face the recently announced price increase. The report said the United States and United Kingdom were not included at that time. The statements and email language below are attributed to Microsoft as reproduced by GamesRadar, rather than to a Microsoft-hosted announcement.
The quoted statement said: “Current subscribers in certain countries will continue renewing at their existing price for now, in line with local requirements,” and that Microsoft would provide advance notice before price adjustments took effect in those countries. The reported email described the condition: the existing subscription price would continue “as long as you are on an auto-recurring plan.” It also said canceling and repurchasing would mean being charged “at the new current rate.”
In practical terms, the reported policy distinguished an uninterrupted recurring subscription from a new purchase. “For now” did not establish a permanent price guarantee, and the report did not identify a universal list of qualifying countries or a single rate that applied to all subscribers.
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![Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – 1 Month Membership – Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Cloud Gaming Devices [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bMCG9v4vL._SL160_.jpg)
- GAME PASS ULTIMATE: Play new games on day one, and enjoy hundreds of high-quality games on console, PC, and cloud. Game Pass Ultimate also includes online console multiplayer, EA Play, and other great member benefits.
- SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: From fast-paced action and adventure to timeless classics, family-friendly games, innovative indie titles, brain-teasing puzzles, immersive roleplaying adventures, and intense shooters. Dive into a world where every gamer can find their next favorite game.
- NEW GAMES ON DAY ONE: Enjoy incredible new games on day one from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, Activision Blizzard, and more. Play The Outer Worlds 2, NINJA GAIDEN 4, and High on Life 2 as soon as they are released.
- ONLINE CONSOLE MULTIPLAYER: Tap into the heart of the Xbox community and join millions of players ready to play together. Online console multiplayer is included with Game Pass Ultimate.
- EA PLAY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED: Jump into Battlefield, STAR WARS, and other great game franchises with EA Play. Included at no extra cost, members get access to a collection of EA’s best-loved games, in-game rewards, and trials of select new games.
What the price is now depends on your account and region
The October 2025 delay should not be used to infer a current charge. Xbox announced new pricing on April 21, 2026. In the United States, the monthly Ultimate price changed from $29.99 to $22.99 effective that day. In Brazil, the localized Xbox announcement changed the monthly price from R$119.90 to R$76.90, also effective April 21, and noted that prices can vary by region. Those examples illustrate later regional changes; they do not establish the amount any particular subscriber pays.
Check the price and next renewal date shown for your own subscription in your Microsoft account. Xbox’s plan comparison page says recurring payments continue until canceled and that a promotion may be limited to new subscribers or selected regions. After a promotion, the subscription continues at the then-current regular price unless canceled. Xbox also says charges may increase with at least 30 days’ notice under the Microsoft Store Terms of Sale. The general terms cannot confirm an individual account’s current renewal amount.
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- DISCOVER 50+ GAMES — Explore a curated library of more than 50 games playable across XBOX consoles, PC, and supported devices, with new favorites ready to discover.
- PLAY ACROSS YOUR FAVORITE DEVICES — Enjoy included games across supported XBOX consoles, PC, and other compatible devices for more ways to play wherever you are.
- PLAY TOGETHER ONLINE — Connect with friends and communities with online console multiplayer included with XBOX Game Pass Essential.
- STREAM WITH XBOX CLOUD GAMING — Enjoy up to 5 hours of cloud playtime per month and stream supported games to compatible devices with XBOX Cloud Gaming.
- EARN REWARDS WHILE YOU PLAY — Earn Rewards points by playing games, completing eligible activities, and shopping in the Store with your XBOX Game Pass membership.
How to check or stop a recurring charge
- Open your Microsoft account’s Services & subscriptions page and locate the Xbox Game Pass subscription. Check its displayed renewal price and next billing date.
- If you want to stop recurring billing, use the cancellation option in your Microsoft account, or cancel on an Xbox console, before the next billing date. Xbox says recurring payments continue until canceled.
- Review the cancellation confirmation and the subscription status in your account. Do not assume that canceling and later subscribing again will restore the 2025 rate; the reported email said a repurchase would be charged at the new current price.
Changes to Ultimate’s value since the delay
Call of Duty releases no longer arrive in the plan at launch
In its April 2026 update, Xbox said future Call of Duty titles would no longer join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. New releases would instead arrive during the following holiday season, about a year later. Existing Call of Duty titles already in the library would remain available. Xbox said Ultimate would continue to include hundreds of console and PC games, current Call of Duty titles, in-game benefits, online console multiplayer, and major day-one releases. Whether Ultimate is worth its renewal price therefore depends in part on how much you value launch access to those future titles.
Cloud gaming hours are scheduled to change in November 2026
Xbox announced that monthly cloud gaming allowances are expected to begin in November 2026: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential. Additional cloud playtime will be purchasable through the Xbox Store, but the announcement said pricing, market availability, and other details would be provided before the change takes effect. Xbox estimated that 4% of Game Pass subscribers would be affected; that is the company’s estimate, not an independently verified measurement.
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- GAME PASS ULTIMATE: Play new games on day one, and enjoy hundreds of high-quality games on console, PC, and cloud. Game Pass Ultimate also includes online console multiplayer, EA Play, and other great member benefits.
- SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: From fast-paced action and adventure to timeless classics, family-friendly games, innovative indie titles, brain-teasing puzzles, immersive roleplaying adventures, and intense shooters. Dive into a world where every gamer can find their next favorite game.
- NEW GAMES ON DAY ONE: Enjoy incredible new games on day one from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, Activision Blizzard, and more. Play The Outer Worlds 2, NINJA GAIDEN 4, and High on Life 2 as soon as they are released.
- ONLINE CONSOLE MULTIPLAYER: Tap into the heart of the Xbox community and join millions of players ready to play together. Online console multiplayer is included with Game Pass Ultimate.
- EA PLAY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED: Jump into Battlefield, STAR WARS, and other great game franchises with EA Play. Included at no extra cost, members get access to a collection of EA’s best-loved games, in-game rewards, and trials of select new games.
What to compare before renewing
For a personal-finance decision, compare the plan’s actual local renewal charge with the features you use—not an old advertised price or the value of a temporary promotion alone. The relevant factors are:
- Your account’s monthly renewal price and billing date.
- Whether a promotion applies to your account, how long it lasts, and the regular price afterward.
- The games and release timing you care about, including the changed timing for future Call of Duty releases.
- Your use of online console multiplayer, in-game benefits, and cloud gaming, including the announced monthly cloud allowance.
Historical prices are not a substitute for this account check. For example, a 2025 Microsoft price schedule listed new-member Ultimate prices of $19.99 per month in the United States, £14.99 in the United Kingdom, ₹829 in India, and €17.99 in Germany. These were historical new-member prices, not current rates and not proof of what existing subscribers paid during the delay.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- DISCOVER 50+ GAMES — Explore a curated library of more than 50 games playable across XBOX consoles, PC, and supported devices, with new favorites ready to discover.
- PLAY ACROSS YOUR FAVORITE DEVICES — Enjoy included games across supported XBOX consoles, PC, and other compatible devices for more ways to play wherever you are.
- PLAY TOGETHER ONLINE — Connect with friends and communities with online console multiplayer included with XBOX Game Pass Essential.
- STREAM WITH XBOX CLOUD GAMING — Enjoy up to 5 hours of cloud playtime per month and stream supported games to compatible devices with XBOX Cloud Gaming.
- EARN REWARDS WHILE YOU PLAY — Earn Rewards points by playing games, completing eligible activities, and shopping in the Store with your XBOX Game Pass membership.
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- THE PERFECT GAMING GIFT — Buy an XBOX Gift Card for yourself or a friend and let them choose the games, add‑ons, subscriptions, and accessories they want most.
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- NO FEES OR EXPIRATION — XBOX Gift Cards never expire and have no service fees, so your balance is ready whenever you are.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
