Microsoft Could Raise Game Pass Prices by 2023

Rumor has it, Microsoft is looking for new ways to mesh Game Pass and Game With Gold into one tidy subscription plan. And yes, that is technically already a thing. Game Pass Ultimate, as it goes, which is currently priced at $15 a month. But the word on the street is, Microsoft is wanting to scrap Games With Gold, and basically full throttle Game Pass Ultimate as the baseline tier.

Of course, if this does come to pass, then there will no longer be the standard $5 tier for Games With Gold users. Instead, you'll have to purchase the $15 Ultimate tier, which will, in turn, give Microsoft more cash to play around with.

This rumor stems from Brad Sams, an Xbox insider and gaming journalist, who recently informed Pure Xbox of the details.

Touching base with Pure Xbox

“I've heard that Microsoft is contemplating figuring out how to raise the price of these services to include Gold so that $15 per-month is the new baseline, meaning you get Game Pass and you also get Xbox Live Gold, and that's the only tier,” Sams commented.

“It would not surprise me if when Microsoft closes this acquisition of Activision, they actually raise that base floor-up price of how much it's going to cost to get into their service.”

Unfortunately, Microsoft has neither confirmed nor denied these rumors just yet. Therefore, for now, it's all speculation, and in no way concrete enough to produce a global backing. Though, seeing as Sony is doing something similar with its PlayStation Plus service, perhaps this could be Microsoft's excuse to craft a counter offer.

Whatever the case, chances are, we'll hear something relatively soon. And if not this year, then perhaps in 2023, after the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. Until then, we'll just have to bite the bullet and hang fire.

You can follow Microsoft over on the official social handle here for more updates and information.