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| Xbox Game Pass prices could be revised soon |
For years, Xbox Game Pass has been hailed as the “best deal in gaming.” But lately, that deal has started to feel more like a financial drain—both for Microsoft and for the players subscribing to it. Since its inception, the service has seen multiple price hikes, pushing monthly fees into territory that many fans now call borderline unsustainable. And just when you thought things couldn’t get more complicated, fresh reports suggest Microsoft is considering something drastic: pulling Call of Duty from Game Pass entirely to offset what insiders describe as “abysmal” software sales.
But before you cancel your subscription in a fit of rage, there’s a glimmer of hope. Newly uncovered internal communications reveal that Microsoft’s gaming leadership isn’t blind to the problem—and they’re already plotting a major shake-up.
“The current model isn’t the final one” – New Xbox CEO speaks out
According to a leaked memo obtained by The Verge, newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma addressed employees in a candid internal note. The message was surprisingly transparent about the service’s shortcomings and its future direction.
“Game Pass is central to gaming value on Xbox. It’s also clear that the current model isn’t the final one. Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system which will take time to test and learn around.”
The full details of the memo, including Sharma’s tone and additional context, can be found in The Verge’s exclusive report right here. It’s a rare inside look at how Microsoft is wrestling with the same frustrations that gamers have been voicing for months.
What does “more flexible” actually mean?
Let’s read between the lines. Sharma didn’t promise a direct price cut. Instead, she talked about a “better value equation” and a “flexible system.” That’s corporate speak for: we know the one-size-fits-all subscription isn’t working anymore.
Industry metrics have repeatedly shown that subscription services cannibalize game sales. When a player can access hundreds of titles for a flat monthly fee, they’re far less likely to drop $70 on a new release. And that’s a massive problem for a company that just spent nearly $70 billion to acquire Activision Blizzard. Pulling Call of Duty from Game Pass would be a nuclear option—but it might be necessary if Microsoft wants to protect flagship franchise revenues.
On the other hand, making Game Pass “flexible” could mean anything from regional pricing adjustments to a fully modular subscription where you pay only for what you actually play.
Here’s how Microsoft could make Xbox Game Pass better (without going broke)
A simple price reduction would win back goodwill, but it’s not a long-term fix. Microsoft needs structural changes. Here are three bold ideas that could actually work.
1. More tiers with curated offerings
Right now, Game Pass lumps together indie darlings, AAA blockbusters, and day-one releases into a single library. That’s overwhelming for casual players and expensive for Microsoft. Introducing a lite tier with, say, 50 hand-picked games for $5–7 per month could attract budget-conscious gamers, while a premium tier retains the full catalog for hardcore users.
2. A “choose your own Game Pass” system
Imagine this: you log into Xbox, and instead of seeing 400+ games, you’re asked to pick 10, 20, or 30 titles from a master list. Your monthly price adjusts based on how many you choose and which publishers are involved. You could even filter by genre (RPG, shooter, strategy) or—and this is the clever part—by the hours you’ve already played in games you own.
For example, if you’ve sunk 200 hours into Starfield from your purchased copy, the system could offer you a discount to include its upcoming DLC in your custom Game Pass plan. That kind of data-driven personalization would be a nightmare to code, but it would solve two key issues: choice paralysis and wasted subscription fees.
3. Limit the library to boost completion rates
It sounds counterintuitive, but fewer choices might actually make Game Pass more valuable. Data from multiple studies shows that subscription service subscribers suffer from “abundance fatigue.” You start a game, play for three hours, then see a tweet about a shiny new release, and abandon your save file forever. Completion rates on Game Pass are notoriously low.
A more focused, rotating selection of 30–50 titles (similar to what PlayStation Plus Collection attempted) would nudge players to actually finish games. And finished games lead to emotional investment, which leads to DLC purchases and sequels—revenue streams that Microsoft desperately needs.
The bottom line
Microsoft is caught between two realities. Game Pass is too expensive for many players, yet too cheap for the company to sustain without hurting game sales. The leaked memo from Asha Sharma confirms that leadership is finally ready to experiment. Whether that means removing Call of Duty, introducing a la carte subscriptions, or something nobody has guessed yet—we should learn more in the coming weeks.
For now, keep your subscription if you’re enjoying it. But don’t be surprised if the “best deal in gaming” looks very different by this time next year. And if you want to dive deeper into the original leak, The Verge’s full story is absolutely worth your time.
What would you pay for a flexible Game Pass? Let the debate begin.