Xbox says Game Pass lost 'millions' of players after price hike

Xbox substantially raised Game Pass prices in October 2025, a move that cost the company millions of players, Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball said. "We shed millions of subscribers over the span of a few months," he said. Game Pass Ultimate rose from $19.99 to $29.99 per month, and Xbox had over 34 million players as of February 2024; the company has not shared current numbers.

Under new CEO Asha Sharma, Ball said Xbox has "corrected that offering." Sharma had admitted Game Pass became "too expensive for players" in a memo leaked in April 2026, and Xbox later cut prices. Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99 a month—still above the pre-hike $19.99 but below $29.99.

A cheaper, pared-down version was announced in May as part of Xbox's partnership with Discord. Xbox is also pursuing exclusives to bring players back. After releasing some IP on other consoles—such as Master Chief on PlayStation 5—the company is rethinking that approach.

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