Ripple effect: Gamers are canceling their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions in record numbers following the price hike announced earlier this week. So many users were attempting to cancel that Microsoft's website reportedly struggled to load at one point, according to posts on social media and online forums.
Several posts on the Xbox subreddit expressed frustration over the rising cost of a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Many users said the latest hike was the final straw and that they would not renew once their current plan expires. Others speculated the increase could trigger a mass exodus from Xbox, potentially impacting Microsoft's bottom line.
Some subscribers also claimed the Microsoft website became overloaded with cancellation requests, causing it to fail to load properly. In addition, a number of users said they were considering downgrading to a lower tier to cut costs, even if it means losing access to premium features.
At the Tokyo Game Show earlier this week, Xbox President Sarah Bond revealed that Game Pass is highly profitable, generating nearly $5 billion in the last fiscal year. She noted that the subscription service has long been a profitable business and that increasing participation from third-party publishers could make it even more lucrative for gamers.
Microsoft currently offers four tiers of Game Pass subscriptions. The entry-level Game Pass Essential (formerly Game Pass Core) and Game Pass Standard (previously Game Pass Premium) retain their existing prices of $9.99 and $14.99 per month, respectively.
However, Game Pass Ultimate saw a significant 50 percent increase, rising from $19.99 to $29.99 per month. PC Game Pass also jumped from $11.99 to $16.49, marking nearly a 40 percent hike.
While recent subscriber numbers are not publicly available, filings revealed 34 million subscribers as of February 2024, with leaks from Microsoft insiders suggesting the figure has since surpassed 35 million. CEO Satya Nadella also confirmed that Microsoft's gaming platforms collectively have more than 500 million active users, though he did not provide a detailed breakdown.