Microsoft Revamps Xbox Game Pass Tiers With More Games And More Cost

Netting roughly two years ago, Microsoft introduced a new wave of Xbox Game Pass tiers to its subscribers: Core, Standard, and Ultimate. Alongside PC Game Pass, there was a slew of adjusted pricing that met the offering that Xbox Game Pass as a subscription delivered to its users. But moving forward with estimated 35 million users subscribed, there is plenty more improvement to be made on the service. 

In one report, it was disclosed that a cloud-focused tier was being considered. Amid the speculation from chatter internally, Microsoft also rolled out Xbox Cloud Gaming for its lower tiers via Xbox Insider as well. All-in-all, the service was already evolving as Microsoft continued to deliver more. According to one report, Xbox Game Pass would be considered profitable as the firm structures its P&L for the service & internal spending.

Now this week, Microsoft announces a new wave of Xbox Game Pass tiers. The new selections includes Xbox Game Pass Essential, Xbox Game Pass Premium, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Starting today, there are new added titles coming to Xbox Game Pass for respected tiers which you can read below:

Essential
Cities: Skylines Remastered (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S)
Disney Dreamlight Valley (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Hades (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Warhammer 40,000 Darktide (Cloud, PC, and Console)

Premium
9 Kings (Game Preview) (PC)
Abiotic Factor (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Against the Storm (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition (PC)
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (PC)
Age of Mythology: Retold (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Ara: History Untold (PC)
Arx Fatalis (PC)
Back to the Dawn (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Battletech (PC)
Blacksmith Master (Game Preview) (PC)
Cataclismo (PC)
Cities: Skylines II (PC)
Crime Scene Cleaner (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Diablo (PC)
Diablo IV (PC and Console)
An Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire (PC)
The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (PC)
Fallout (PC)
Fallout 2 (PC)
Fallout: Tactics (PC)
Football Manager 2024 (PC)
Frostpunk 2 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Halo: Spartan Strike (PC)
Hogwarts Legacy (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Manor Lords (Game Preview) (PC)
Minami Lane (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Minecraft: Java Edition (PC)
Mullet Madjack (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
My Friendly Neighborhood (Cloud, PC, and Console)
One Lonely Outpost (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Quake 4 (PC)
Quake III Arena (PC)
Return to Castle Wolfenstein (PC)
Rise of Nations: Extended Edition (PC)
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Sworn (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Terra Invicta (Game Preview) (PC)
Volcano Princess (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Warcraft I: Remastered (PC)
Warcraft II: Remastered (PC)
Warcraft III: Reforged (PC)
Wolfenstein 3D (PC)

Ultimate
Hogwarts Legacy (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed II (PC)
Assassin’s Creed III Remastered (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag: Freedom Cry (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Revelations (PC)
Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection (Cloud and Console)
Assassin’s Creed Unity (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Child of Light (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Far Cry 3 (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Far Cry Primal (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Hungry Shark World (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Monopoly Madness (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Monopoly 2024 (Cloud, PC, and Console)
OddBallers (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show (Cloud and Console)
Rabbids: Party of Legends (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Rayman Legends (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Risk Urban Assault (Cloud and Console)
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Skull and Bones (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
South Park: The Stick of Truth (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Starlink: Battle for Atlas (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Steep (Cloud, PC, and Console)
The Crew 2 (Cloud, PC, and Console)
The Settlers: New Allies (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Tom Clancy’s The Division (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Trackmania Turbo (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Transference (Cloud and Console)
Trials Fusion (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Trials of the Blood Dragon (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Trials Rising (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Uno (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Watch_Dogs (Cloud, PC, and Console)
Wheel of Fortune (Cloud and Console)
Zombi (Cloud, PC, and Console)

“Starting today, we’re introducing three upgraded Game Pass plans based on how players play: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. […] Today’s Game Pass Core subscribers will automatically move to Essential, Standard subscribers will transition to Premium, and Ultimate subscribers will remain in the Ultimate plan,” the Xbox Wire post shares.

New perks for Xbox Game Pass varies across each tier. For Essential, base offerings are included alongside proper Xbox Cloud Gaming access. Premium branches further including some of the showcased titles advertised for the subscription as well as improved streaming times. Ultimate goes a step further incorporating EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and Fortnite Crew as well as 1440p cloud streaming.

One new addition noted is ‘Rewards with Xbox’. Depending on the chosen tier will grant in-store credit: Essential – $25, Premium – $50, and Ultimate – $100. As for the new pricing for Xbox Game Pass, Essential is $9.99 a month (unaffected), Premium is $14.99 a month (unaffected), and Ultimate is $29.99 a month (was $19.99). PC Game Pass also was bumped from $11.99 to $16.46 a month as well.

Are you surprised by this massive change for Xbox Game Pass?

Source: Xbox Wire