Microsoft is raising the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and launching a new ‘Standard’ tier

Microsoft is planning to increase the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate again in September, along with the launch of a new “standard” subscription that does not include day one access to original Xbox games. The Xbox maker has started sending emails to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers warning them of a price increase to $19.99 per month starting September 12, a $3 increase over the current price of $16.99 per month.

PC Game Pass subscribers will also see a price increase in September, with the service going from $9.99 to $11.99 per month and maintaining access to day one titles. If you’re outside the US and wondering how price increases affect your subscription, Microsoft has a complete list of all price changes worldwide here.

O price increases come just before Microsoft plans to add Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and other great original Xbox games to the Game Pass service later this year. The price increases will largely affect Ultimate subscribers, who make up the vast majority of Game Pass subscribers, and come just over a year after the last Game Pass price increases increased fees by $1 to $2 a month.

Along with the Ultimate and PC Game Pass price increases, Microsoft will also offer a new Xbox Game Pass Standard subscription option without day one titles, which will cost $14.99 per month for new users of the service. The existing Xbox Game Pass for console subscription will continue for existing subscribers, but new Game Pass subscribers will not be able to select the console option starting July 10 until the new Game Pass Standard subscription is available. Microsoft says Xbox Game Pass Standard “will be available in the coming months.”

The new standard option also includes online console multiplayer access, something previously missing from Xbox Game Pass for console. Existing Xbox Game Pass for console subscribers will only be able to stack for up to 13 months starting September 18, but this will not affect existing stacks.

I revealed in May that Microsoft was considering raising Xbox Game Pass Ultimate prices again, amid debate over the addition Call to action for the service. A price increase for the top tier will help offset Activision’s addition of Microsoft Call to action series for Game Pass, and this was widely expected since Microsoft made the Cod official addition.