Game Pass is changing, and its Ultimate tier with day-one releases is now $30

Microsoft has revealed new pricing plans for Xbox Game Pass, and some of its main selling points are now locked behind its top tier, which will cost you $30 per month. In addition to this, while the separate PC Game Pass offering will continue to exist and might now be the best option if you're primarily on that platform, its price has been dramatically raised. Overall, it's a dramatic hike for the service, which previously topped out at a $20 offering, although Microsoft is attempting to soften the blow with some additional inclusions.

The exact effect on specific upcoming Game Pass games has yet to be confirmed in full, but the new plans are broken up into three tiers. 'Essential' costs $9.99 / £6.99 a month and promises 50+ games with unlimited cloud gaming. 'Premium' is $14.99 / £10.99 a month with 200+ games and "new Xbox-published games within a year of launch" (excluding Call of Duty games like Black Ops 7). At the top tier, which will now set you back $29.99 / £22.99 monthly, you'll get the full library of over 400 games, "including all Xbox-published games day one."

"We know not everyone wants the same thing in their Xbox experience, so we're evolving Game Pass to offer more flexibility, choice, and value to all players," the Xbox team writes, "whether you love day one releases, discovering hidden gems, or playing across multiple devices and screens and across Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud."

Alongside this news, Microsoft reveals that Epic's Fortnite Crew subscription will be added to the Ultimate tier, as will the Ubisoft Plus Classics collection. Cloud gaming has now officially left beta and you'll be able to take advantage of streaming at up to 1440p quality. It's also worth noting that Ultimate subscribers will have a $100 cap on their rewards points earnings, while Premium subs are limited to $50 and Essential users to just $25.

Speaking to Microsoft, The Verge confirms that the standalone PC Game Pass subscription will continue, but its price has also been increased from its current $11.99 monthly to $16.49, a raise of almost 40%. It will, however, get games on day one. "The only change happening for PC Game Pass subscribers is that they won't be getting Ubisoft Plus Classics, but they'll be getting about 50 additional Ubisoft titles across PC Game Pass."

You can check the announcement blog for a complete list of the newly added games, but I wouldn't be surprised if you're also checking your bank balance to see whether you're prepared to continue at this new price point. With the increase leapfrogging the rumors of a $25 plan and going all the way up to $30, Game Pass Ultimate becomes a much more dramatic commitment.

It's certainly a consideration many will be having, especially with the Black Ops 7 release date coming over the horizon. Want something a little cheaper? Here are the best free Steam games you can play right now.

Will you be sticking with your current Game Pass plan, or has this price change caused you to reconsider? Hop into the PCGamesN community Discord server and tell us what you think of the overhaul.