Microsoft announced a suite of significant changes for Xbox Game Pass today, including price hikes, the renaming of tiers, and details on new benefits for subscribers. Microsoft also clarified how to play new Call of Duty games with Game Pass. There are multiple ways, and they all cost more than before, while one tier may not get new Call of Duty games for a while.
First off, you can subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate–which is now $30/month–to play all of Microsoft’s new releases at launch, including new Call of Duty titles like this year’s Black Ops 7. This was always the case with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and it’s not changing.
Another way to get new Call of Duty games with Game Pass is to subscribe to PC Game Pass, although, as with Ultimate, it’s going to cost you more than before. The subscription service is rising in price from $12/month to $16.50/month. That’s an increase of 37.5%, which is not as significant as the 50% price increase for Game Pass Ultimate.
Subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Essential and Premium–the tiers formerly known as Core and Standard–will not get to play new Call of Duty games at launch. This was the case previously and it’s staying true going forward. In the fine print, Microsoft said Premium subscribers will get new Xbox-published games “within a year of their launch,” with the exception of Call of Duty titles.
That’s a significant asterisk, given that Call of Duty is one of Microsoft’s marquee brands. What this seems to mean is that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 won’t come to Game Pass Premium for some time.
The Game Pass name changes and price hikes are now in effect, but Amazon continues to sell one-month Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $20.
For more on Game Pass, be sure to check out our gallery below where we run through the best Game Pass titles available.
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