Xbox Drops Game Pass Prices But Pulls Day-One Call of Duty in Major Strategy Shift
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Xbox is lowering Game Pass Ultimate and PC subscription prices following internal pushback over high costs, but future Call of Duty games are losing their day-one release status on the platform.
Xbox is rolling back its subscription pricing following internal pressure over rising costs. According to a recent report from IGN South Africa, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier has dropped from $29.99 to $22.99, while PC Game Pass moves from $16.49 down to $13.99. This adjustment follows a leaked memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma acknowledging that the service had simply become too expensive for the average player. While cheaper access is a win for household budgets, the price cut comes with a major catch for shooter fans.
The savings are tied to a significant shift in content strategy. Future Call of Duty releases are leaving the day-one lineup, meaning upcoming franchise entries will no longer hit the service immediately at launch. Instead, new games in the series will arrive roughly a year after their initial debut. For a subscription service that heavily marketed its day-one blockbuster model to retention-focused players, this is a notable retreat that changes the value proposition of the Ultimate tier.
Even with the Call of Duty exclusion, the platform continues to shape up its rolling catalog. April and May lineup announcements highlight upcoming additions led by the next evolution of Vampire Survivors, keeping the indie-friendly pipeline active. Meanwhile, Capcom is maintaining strong momentum across traditional releases, as Pragmata hits one million copies sold in just two days following the massive six million milestone for Resident Evil Requiem earlier this year.
Tags: Xbox, Game Pass, Call of Duty, Subscriptions, Gaming News
Original article: IGN South Africa