After price change, Xbox Game Pass users are canceling subscriptions so fast that Microsoft’s website is struggling to keep up — and I don’t blame them

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Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service, has become central to their gaming business. Since launching in 2017, it’s grown to over 34 million subscribers. For a monthly fee, members get access to a wide range of games – including titles made by Microsoft and other developers – on Xbox and other devices, offering a great value for gamers.

Game Pass has been a hit for a while now, but recent changes made by Microsoft have sparked some debate. Announced on Wednesday, the updates include adding Ubisoft+ games, introducing new subscription levels, expanding access on PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and a $11.99 monthly Fortnite Crew perk – offering 1,000 V-Bucks and exclusive in-game items – for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members.

Overall, the updates make the lower-priced Game Pass plans more appealing by adding more platforms and games. The Xbox Game Pass Standard plan has been upgraded to a better Xbox Game Pass Premium plan, which now includes access to new Xbox games within a year of release – something the old Standard plan didn’t offer.

The biggest drawback is a substantial price hike for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It’s jumped 50%, going from $19.99 a month to $29.99 a month, making the service much pricier.

The service has been improved with features like prioritized access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, higher resolution streaming at 1440p, new games from Ubisoft+, the chance to earn up to $100 in Xbox rewards, and a Fortnite Crew subscription. However, the Xbox community has strongly criticized the recent price increase.

A quick glance at the Xbox subreddit reveals widespread frustration among fans regarding the recent price increase for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Most of the popular posts currently express anger and disappointment about the higher cost.

One popular comment on the subreddit’s top post simply said, “I’m not paying that much.” Another user agreed, stating they recently renewed their subscription at a lower price and wouldn’t do so again when it’s up for renewal.

One person pointed out the high cost will exclude many players, which is especially frustrating since the company recently discussed the service being profitable. They argued it’s not a good value for occasional gamers, considering you can buy several games during sales for around $30 a month. An annual subscription costing $360 is simply too expensive.

The recent price change appears to have caused a significant increase in Xbox Game Pass cancellations. So many people are trying to cancel that Microsoft’s website is having trouble loading, leading some to believe the company is deliberately blocking cancellations.

The recent price increase has caused a significant surge in Xbox Game Pass cancellations. So many people are trying to cancel that Microsoft’s website is having trouble loading, leading some to believe the company is blocking cancellations. This isn’t true, but the site is clearly experiencing heavy traffic. If you’re thinking of canceling your subscription, you might encounter issues – check out our guide for help.

I’m seeing a ton of people saying the Game Pass website is really struggling right now – it’s probably getting slammed with everyone trying to change their subscriptions! One person put it perfectly: a lot of us just don’t care about the Fortnite or Ubisoft games they’re adding, and we’d be happy to pay around $20-$25 a month for the core Game Pass experience without those extras. Honestly, that’s what I’m thinking too – I’m planning on switching to a cheaper tier soon.

A bold move — and a big mistake

As Microsoft expands Xbox to more devices, including the upcoming Xbox Ally and Ally X handhelds, the changes to Game Pass are a logical step. Offering different Game Pass plans on PCs, through Xbox Cloud Gaming, and on other devices simply gives players more ways to enjoy games.

Offering more ways to play is a great strategy, particularly for attracting new players who don’t own an Xbox console and encouraging them to become long-term Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

As more people use Xbox Cloud Gaming, it costs Microsoft more money to operate. Raising the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to cover these costs, in my opinion, was a poor decision.

As more people use Xbox Cloud Gaming, the cost of running the service increases. Microsoft’s decision to raise the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to cover these costs is, in my opinion, a poor one.

If you don’t regularly play Fortnite or Ubisoft games, the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate hasn’t felt worth it. This is a major source of frustration for subscribers, and honestly, even if Microsoft added perks everyone could enjoy, many people would still be upset about paying more.

Honestly, I think $30 a month is going to be a tough price to swallow, no matter what they include. What I always loved about Game Pass was how much you got for your money – it was seriously the best value in gaming, and I’m worried this change will take away from that.

Microsoft likely would have been better off with small price increases for all its subscriptions rather than a large increase for the Ultimate tier. Now, the biggest benefit of Game Pass – getting new games on release day – costs $30 a month, which is too expensive for many people. Ultimately, it remains to be seen how much this change will affect the Game Pass service.

As an analyst, I’m planning to switch to the $16.49 PC Game Pass. It offers nearly all the same perks as the Ultimate plan, minus the Fortnite Crew subscription (which isn’t something I’m interested in), and provides up to $100 in Xbox rewards credit (though the maximum you can earn is $50). Best of all, it’s half the price, and since I primarily game on PC anyway, the PC-only limitation isn’t an issue for me.

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2025-10-02 00:40