Xbox price hike won’t hit everyone — keep the $11 Console Game Pass (if your auto-renew is on)
Microsoft’s recent Game Pass shake-up won’t kick everyone off the old Console plan — at least not right away. If you’re one of the players still on the legacy Xbox Game Pass for Console subscription and you have recurring payments turned on, you can keep your plan and its perks for now.
- What happens if you cancel or your subscription lapses?
- How to check your subscription
- What we don’t know
What changed?
Earlier this week, Xbox overhauled its Game Pass lineup. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now costs $29.99 per month, and two tiers were renamed to Premium and Essential. Meanwhile, those renamed tiers no longer include day-one releases. Additionally, Microsoft had already removed Xbox Game Pass for Console earlier in 2024 in favor of Core and Standard tiers.
Who is unaffected?
Importantly, Xbox confirmed that current Console subscribers who were grandfathered into the old plan and have automatic payments enabled will continue on their existing plan and pricing. As Xbox put it: “Players who are currently subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for Console and have automatic payment renewal enabled can continue their subscription,” a representative from Xbox told Polygon via email.
Xbox also clarified the perks and pricing: “Day one games are available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions, as well as for subscribers who still have an active Game Pass for Console subscription. Players who are currently subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for Console and have automatic payment renewal enabled can continue their subscription at $10.99/month.”
What happens if you cancel or your subscription lapses?
If you turn off automatic payment renewal, or your subscription lapses, you will no longer be able to remain on the legacy Console plan. Instead, you’ll need to pick one of the current options — Essential, Premium, Ultimate, or PC Game Pass — when you rejoin.
How to check your subscription
To see if you still have the legacy plan, sign into the Game Pass account page. For convenience, you can go to the Game Pass website, log in with your Microsoft account, click your username in the top-right, then choose My Microsoft Account. If you see Xbox Game Pass for Console listed as an active subscription, you’ll keep day-one games at the legacy price so long as automatic payment renewal remains enabled.
What we don’t know
Xbox did not confirm how long these legacy Console subscriptions will remain available for current subscribers. Therefore, if you still have that plan, check your account and think twice before canceling — you likely won’t be able to rejoin that same plan once it’s canceled.
