Gamers are still digesting the recent Xbox Game Pass price hike and what it means for day-one access. Now another change has come to light: subscribers noticed that the standard Game Pass purchase discounts were missing, and Xbox has confirmed those discounts on games, downloadable content and in-game currency are no longer included as a Game Pass benefit. (Source: IGN)
In a statement to IGN, Microsoft said the removal applies across the board. Rather than an upfront price reduction, subscribers will earn Microsoft Rewards points when buying select titles and add‑ons from the Game Pass library: Ultimate members will receive 10% back in points while Premium members will receive 5% back on eligible purchases. Microsoft added that Ultimate members still retain a 20% discount on some select Game Pass titles. Additionally, all Xbox Rewards members will accrue points when purchasing games and add-ons in the store, with Premium and Ultimate subscribers earning higher multipliers (2x and 4x respectively). For full details, see the Game Pass Rewards page. Learn more about Rewards.
Put simply: purchases such as COD Points will generate Rewards points but will no longer be discounted at checkout. It also appears the ability to redeem accumulated points for multi‑month Game Pass subscriptions has been removed — several players report that points can no longer be exchanged for a few months of Game Pass access. The original player report is here.
Between the Game Pass restructuring, the recent price increases for both subscriptions and hardware, and the elimination of the subscriber discount, many users are furious and have begun canceling subscriptions in large numbers. The surge of cancellations reportedly overloaded the subscription management page shortly after the price increase was announced.
Source: Polygon
