The standard Xbox Game Pass plan is Starting today, Microsoft announced a revamp of its Game Pass subscription plans, introducing the Standard option along with a price increase for the Ultimate tier. The Standard plan costs $15 per month, while Ultimate costs $20 per month.
The Standard subscription tier will offer the essential features of the Game Pass program: online multiplayer gaming, access to a large library of games, and discounts on purchases of select games. The big difference between Standard and Ultimate is that Standard plan members will not be able to play some blockbuster releases, such as and from day one. Wait times on the Standard plan vary by title, but can last up to 12 months or more. Ultimate plans also include EA Play membership and access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Xbox has struggled to compete with PlayStation this console generation. This is partly due to hardware differences: Microsoft offered $200 million for its console lineup this summer, while Sony managed $200 million for the announcement of its pricey new console. But the Game Pass plan has also struggled to generate ongoing revenue for Microsoft, with subscribers only reported in February.
