The ad highlights “What’s new,” which includes:
- Ubisoft+ Classics and Fortnite Crew arriving soon
- 75+ day-one releases within 12 months
- Stream games at our best quality
- Play & earn up to 100k Rewards points per year
“Plus enjoy 400+ games, EA Play, and in-game benefits on console, PC, and more,” the ad concludes, offering buttons for “Got it,” “Explore more,” or “View my plan.”
Conspicuously missing from the splash screen is the detail that Ultimate absorbed the largest increase and now costs $360 per year. The subscription’s former value — where playing a handful of major, day-one titles could justify the fee while still granting access to hundreds of older games — has been significantly eroded, and Ultimate may no longer be a good deal for many players.
Most users won’t play six full-price new releases annually. If you only play a few titles each year, buying them outright (physical or digital), waiting for sales, or budgeting per purchase could be more economical than keeping an Ultimate subscription.
It’s also worth noting that Rewards points can no longer be redeemed for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, a change Microsoft announced alongside the new pricing.
Many Xbox owners have pointed out that the most useful element of this full-screen prompt is the “View my plan” button, since it directs users to the page where they can cancel or downgrade. That sentiment seems to be reflected in reports of a spike in cancellations following the price increase and the company’s upbeat post about expanded rewards. See related coverage here.
Xbox president says Game Pass is profitable and good for creators, despite reported disagreement over the subscription model.
Source: gamesradar.com
