Xbox Game Pass Ultimate rose from CAD $22.99 to CAD $33.99 per month in Canada in October 2025, an increase of CAD $11. Xbox has since lowered the listed price to CAD $25.99 per month, effective April 22, 2026. That leaves the subscription CAD $2.99 above its pre-increase price—not $11 higher today.
What happened to the Canadian price
TVA Nouvelles’ 2026 account of Microsoft’s Canadian pricing history reports the October 2025 move from CAD $22.99 to CAD $33.99. Subtracting the two published prices gives the CAD $11 increase that prompted the headline.
Xbox Canada’s current product listing shows Ultimate at CAD $25.99 per month. Compared with the former CAD $22.99 rate, the current price is CAD $2.99 higher. The reduction from CAD $33.99 to CAD $25.99 took effect on April 22, 2026.
How much each Canadian plan costs now
| Plan | Monthly price (CAD) | What the listing indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Game Pass Ultimate | $25.99 | 400+ games, console and PC play, supported handheld play, cloud streaming, online console multiplayer, EA Play, Fortnite Crew, Ubisoft+ Classics, in-game benefits and rewards; select day-one releases |
| Game Pass Premium | $17.99 | Current Canadian comparison price on Xbox’s page; the page’s plan-specific feature details should be checked before subscribing |
| PC Game Pass | $16.99 | PC-focused plan at the listed Canadian price |
| Game Pass Essential | $13.99 | Current Canadian comparison price on Xbox’s page |
Prices are monthly Canadian list prices shown by Xbox Canada. A promotion, tax treatment or account-specific offer can change the amount presented at checkout.
#1 Best Overall
- FASTEST, MOST POWERFUL XBOX — Experience next-generation performance with 12 teraflops of processing power, delivering smoother gameplay, richer worlds, and faster responsiveness than any previous XBOX.
- TRUE 4K GAMING UP TO 120 FPS — Enjoy breathtaking visuals with true 4K resolution, HDR, and frame rates up to 120 FPS, plus hardware-accelerated ray tracing for a heightened level of realism.
- 1TB CUSTOM SSD AND XBOX VELOCITY ARCHITECTURE — Reduce load times dramatically with the custom 1TB NVMe SSD and XBOX Velocity Architecture, enabling lightning-fast performance and seamless world streaming.
- QUICK RESUME — Seamlessly switch between multiple games and resume exactly where you left off. No more waiting through title screens and loading bars.
- FOUR GENERATIONS OF GAMES — Play thousands of games from XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One, XBOX 360, and Original XBOX, with many titles enhanced for better visuals and performance on XBOX Series X.
What Ultimate includes for $25.99
- Game access: Microsoft advertises a library of more than 400 games, with play on console and PC and support for compatible handheld devices.
- Cloud streaming: You can stream supported games rather than install them, subject to Xbox’s service and market requirements.
- Console multiplayer: Online console multiplayer is included.
- Partner subscriptions and extras: The listing names EA Play, Fortnite Crew, Ubisoft+ Classics, in-game benefits and rewards.
- New releases: Xbox advertises day-one releases for select games. That wording does not include every major Xbox title.
Why Call of Duty changed the value calculation
Xbox Wire says future Call of Duty games are no longer planned for day-one inclusion in Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. Xbox says those titles are planned for the following holiday season, roughly a year after launch. Existing Call of Duty games already in the catalogue remain available.
That change matters if you used Ultimate primarily to avoid buying each annual Call of Duty release at launch. The subscription still offers a broad catalogue and online multiplayer, but the most expensive new releases are no longer guaranteed to arrive on day one.
Rank #2
- What's in the box: Xbox Series X console, 1 Xbox Wireless Controller - Carbon Black, Ultra High Speed HDMI cable, Power cord.
- Equipped with AMD's Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures, DirectX ray tracing delivers true-to-life lighting, shadows and accurate reflections to create dynamic, living worlds.
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6 w/320 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 10 GB @ 560 GB/s, 6 GB @ 336 GB/s; Internal Storage: 1TB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: True 4K; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; High Dynamic Range: Up to 8K HDR; Optical Drive: 4K UHD Blu-Ray; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
- Bundled with HDMI_Cable
Cloud-gaming limits planned for November 2026
Xbox plans to introduce monthly included cloud-play limits beginning in November 2026:
| Plan | Included cloud time each month |
|---|---|
| Ultimate | 15 hours |
| Premium | 10 hours |
| Essential | 5 hours |
After the included hours are used, Xbox says players will be able to buy additional cloud playtime. Xbox has not yet published the extra-time pricing, eligible games or market-availability details. These limits therefore matter most to subscribers who stream regularly; they do not describe installed console or PC play.
Rank #3
- BEST VALUE IN GAMING — Experience next-gen speed and performance in the smallest XBOX ever. The XBOX Series S delivers powerful all-digital gameplay in a sleek, compact design.
- UP TO 120 FPS GAMEPLAY — Enjoy smooth, responsive gaming with frame rates up to 120 FPS, powered by XBOX Velocity Architecture, a custom NVMe SSD, and DirectX Raytracing for a heightened level of realism.
- 512GB CUSTOM SSD AND XBOX VELOCITY ARCHITECTURE — Reduce load times dramatically with the custom 512GB NVMe SSD and XBOX Velocity Architecture, enabling lightning-fast performance and seamless world streaming.
- QUICK RESUME — Seamlessly switch between multiple games and resume exactly where you left off. No more waiting through title screens and loading bars.
- FOUR GENERATIONS OF DIGITAL GAMES — Play thousands of digital games from XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One, XBOX 360, and Original XBOX with backward compatibility. Many titles are enhanced for better visuals and performance. Smart Delivery ensures you always get the best version for your console.
Is Ultimate worth CAD $25.99?
It is easier to justify when you use several benefits
- You play on both console and PC, or switch between a console and a supported handheld.
- You would otherwise pay separately for console multiplayer.
- You regularly use the catalogue, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew or the included in-game benefits.
- You stream enough games to value cloud access but do not expect unlimited cloud hours after the November 2026 change.
A cheaper plan may fit a narrower use case
- Choose PC Game Pass if your gaming is almost entirely on PC and you do not need console benefits.
- Consider Premium or Essential if their listed features cover your library and multiplayer needs at a lower monthly cost.
- Buy individual games instead if you mainly want one annual release—particularly a new Call of Duty—and will not use the broader catalogue.
The practical decision is to compare your expected monthly use with CAD $25.99, not with the temporary CAD $33.99 price. Also account for the value you place on day-one access, because future Call of Duty releases are excluded from that promise.
How to check your actual charge and avoid a surprise renewal
- Sign in to the Microsoft account you use for Xbox.
- Open the Game Pass subscription page and select Ultimate to view the offer available to that account.
- Review the currency, billing term, taxes and any promotional expiry before confirming.
- Check recurring billing in your Microsoft account. Xbox states that, after a promotional period, the subscription continues at the regular price and specified term unless you cancel it there.
TechRadar reported that some accounts saw a 30% discount, including a US$16.09-per-month Ultimate offer against a US$22.99 standard price, while other accounts did not. Treat such offers as account-specific and rely on the logged-in Canadian checkout price rather than a screenshot or headline.
Rank #4
- What's in the box: Xbox Series S 512GB console, 1 Wireless Controller, High Speed HDMI cable.
- CPU: 8X Cores @ 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz w/SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU; GPU: 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs @1.565 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU; SOC Die Size: 197.05 mm2.
- Memory: 10GB GDDR6 128 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 8GB @ 224 GB/s, 2GB @ 56 GB/s.; Internal Storage: 512GB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
The bottom line for Canadian subscribers
The October 2025 shock was real: Ultimate rose CAD $11, from $22.99 to $33.99. But the current Xbox Canada price is CAD $25.99, so the lasting increase is CAD $2.99 over the old rate. At that price, Ultimate is most compelling for households using its catalogue, multiplayer, partner benefits and cross-device play. It is less compelling for someone buying one annual game or relying heavily on cloud streaming once the planned 15-hour monthly Ultimate limit begins in November 2026.
Quick Recap
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.
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