This reduction only affects the two highest tiers of the Xbox subscription.
The surprise departure of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond from the head of the Xbox division has undoubtedly marked a change of era within the Microsoft-owned structure. Asha Sharma, Phil Spencer's replacement, intends to make her mark as quickly as possible. Just a few weeks after putting an end to the " This is an Xbox " marketing campaign, she has just kicked things into high gear by announcing substantial price cuts on the company's major offering, Xbox Game Pass.
Shortly after her appointment, Asha Sharma had indicated that she considered Xbox Game Pass " too expensive ", specifying that it needed to be " made more accessible ". She didn't go into detail, however, and this fragmented statement earned her criticism, notably from a former Sony Interactive Entertainment boss, Shawn Layden: " They're doing their best to keep it alive, despite unfavorable diagnoses and a grim prognosis. A clear post-mortem analysis would be beneficial for the entire industry. "
The new Xbox Game Pass prices © Microsoft
Well, it's fair to say that Asha Sharma found something to answer Shawn Layden's question, sincean official press release was issued earlier this week announcing price cuts on the two highest tiers of the Xbox Game Pass offer. What's more, the cuts are quite substantial. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is down from 26.99 euros to 20.99 euros, a 22% reduction, while PC Game Pass is down from 14.99 euros to 12.99 euros, a 13% reduction. The latter is clearly more attractive than the intermediate offer - Xbox Game Pass Premium - whose price (12.99 euros), which remains unchanged, is at the same level, with a less extensive catalog.
Finally, note that Xbox Game Pass Essential - the flagship product - is now priced at 8.99 euros. The new prices are effective immediately, and Asha Sharma has been forced to make a concession in order to be able to reduce the price: from the next opus onwards, Call of Duty will no longer be offered in the Game Pass as soon as it is released, but one year after its launch.
