Microsoft jacks the price of Game Pass Ultimate up to $30 a month

Microsoft has announced significant changes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, including a 50% price increase for the high-end Game Pass Ultimate plan, which now costs $30 per month. This marks the second price hike for the Ultimate tier in 15 months, making it more than twice as expensive as the PlayStation Plus Premium plan. Along with the price increase, Microsoft is expanding the Game Pass Ultimate library, adding more than 45 games, including Assassin's Creed and Far Cry titles from Ubisoft. The Ultimate plan will also include Fortnite Crew and access to over 75 day-one games per year. Microsoft is also rebranding the other tiers, with Standard subscribers moving to the Premium plan ($15/month) and the Core plan remaining at $10/month. The Premium tier now includes PC games and more than 200 games, with Xbox-published titles arriving within a year of their release. The changes come as Microsoft has also announced price increases for its Xbox Series X/S consoles and the higher-end model of the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, which will cost $1,000. The PC Game Pass tier is also increasing in price, from $12 to $16.50 per month.