Editors’ note, Dec. 20: Xbox Game Pass offers a slew of benefits, like the ability to play on a myriad of devices — not just consoles — and access to games on Day 1 of release on certain plans, making this a convenient gaming subscription service for a wide range of people. Every Xbox Game Pass plan costs less than the price of a new AAA game each month, yet gives access to dozens — if not hundreds — of titles, which is why the service as a whole earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. The original article follows.
New AAA video games, the industry’s flagship titles, used to cost $50 apiece, but it’s not unusual to see a similar game cost $70 now. That price might make you pause before you buy a game, but with an Xbox Game Pass subscription, you could game for anywhere from $10 to $30 a month — less than half of that price.
Microsoft launched Game Pass in 2017, and since then, the gaming service has evolved into a good value for many gamers. All Game Pass plans offer member discounts for non-Game Pass titles and other perks, but figuring out which plan is right for you can be challenging.
That choice can be especially tough after Microsoft increased the price of Game Pass Ultimate from $20 to $30 a month and changed the names of some other Game Pass tiers. While Ultimate may not be the best choice for most folks, it’s still a good pick for gamers who want to play all the latest games.
I’ve covered the service in the past, including regular releases and whether Game Pass Ultimate will save you money compared with buying single games. With the new plan names, price increases and upgrades — like PC, console and cloud gaming for most plans — you might be wondering what the difference is between each Game Pass tier. Note that online multiplayer is standard across all tiers.
Here’s what you need to know about the Game Pass plans so you can decide which one is right for your needs.
Xbox Game Pass tiers
| Game Pass Essential | Game Pass Premium | PC Game Pass | Game Pass Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game library size | 50+ | 200+ | 400+ | 500+ |
| Console gaming | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Cloud gaming | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| PC gaming | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Day 1 releases | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| EA Play | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ubisoft Plus Classics | No | No | No | Yes |
| Fortnite Crew | No | No | No | Yes |
| Monthly price | $10 | $15 | $16.49 | $30 |
Game Pass Essential (formerly Core) is the cheapest Game Pass option at $10 a month. This plan is budget-friendly, provides a nice foundation of games and lets you play across multiple platforms, but it lacks an extensive selection of new games to pick from.
Pros of Game Pass Essential
With this plan, you can access over 50 games, including Fallout 4, Gears 5 and Halo 5. It’s the smallest library of each Game Pass plan, but you can access cloud and PC gaming, as well as online multiplayer with this plan.
Cons of Game Pass Essential
You don’t get as many games with Game Pass Essential as with higher-tiered plans. This level of the service rarely adds new titles, and subscribers won’t be able to access games on the day they’re released, aka Day 1. Additionally, EA Play, Ubisoft Plus Classics and Fortnite Crew titles aren’t available on this tier.
Who should subscribe to Game Pass Essential?
If you mostly play online multiplayer games, like Halo or Gears of War, Game Pass Essential is right for you. You’re largely paying for access to play online multiplayer and the ability to play games on PC, cloud and console platforms with this plan. Microsoft also lets you stream some owned games via Xbox Cloud Gaming, like Baldur’s Gate 3. So Essential could be a good option if you don’t want to buy a new, more expensive console, but you still have the option to play games on your smart TV or PC.
Game Pass Premium (formerly Console, then Standard before landing on its current name) costs $15 a month. This option gives you an extensive library of games to play, but you’ll have to wait to play the latest releases.
Pros of Game Pass Premium
The major draw of the Game Pass Premium plan is that it offers subscribers a library of over 200 games. Subscribers can play indie hits like Balatro, as well as the Halo and Gears of War series. You can also play online multiplayer for Game Pass and non-Game Pass games.
Cons of Game Pass Premium
While Game Pass Premium has a decent-sized library of games, it doesn’t include EA Play, Ubisoft Plus Classics or get Day 1 releases. But Day 1 releases are added to this tier within a year after Microsoft launches them on Game Pass Ultimate, which should be fine for patient gamers.
Who should subscribe to Game Pass Premium?
Gamers who don’t mind waiting a little longer to play some games. While you might not be able to play major games on Day 1, you’ll be able to play them later. Given the $15 price tag, this is a nice middle option for gamers.
PC Game Pass is $16.49 a month, and caters to PC gamers who want a large library of games and Day 1 releases. Unlike other Game Pass tiers, PC Game Pass doesn’t support cloud gaming, so you’ll need to have a computer capable of running the games you want to play.
Pros of PC Game Pass
This subscription plan gives you access to more than 400 Game Pass titles. New games are usually added every month, and you’ll have access to Day 1 releases as well, so you’ll always have something new to play. PC Game Pass also includes EA Play, which gives you access to EA games, like the Madden series and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Cons of PC Game Pass
As you might have guessed, you need a PC for this plan, so console gamers need not apply. Even if you have a PC, machine requirements might limit which games you can play and how well others run on your PC.
Who should subscribe to PC Game Pass?
People who only play on PC. It may not feature every game in the Game Pass library, but PC Game Pass does bring new games to the service every month, including a host of Day 1 releases.
This is the most expensive plan, and you get a lot of games for the price tag, including Day 1 releases. However, the price could be overkill for some, so here’s what to know about Game Pass Ultimate.
Pros of Game Pass Ultimate
This is the top-tier Game Pass plan, offering access to many games. You get access to over 500 games in the game library — including EA Play and Ubisoft Plus Classics. And with over 75 Day 1 releases planned for each year, this plan offers you something new to play every week. And if you’re a Fortnite fan, this plan also gives you access to Fortnite Crew and 1,000 V-Bucks each month.
Cons of Game Pass Ultimate
The price is the major hurdle for Game Pass Ultimate, and the price continues to go up. When Game Pass was introduced in 2017, there was only one plan, and it cost $10 a month. In 2019, Microsoft unveiled Game Pass Ultimate with a price of $15 a month, and in 2023, the company raised the price for the service to $17 a month. Back in July 2024, the company raised the price of Game Pass Ultimate again to $20 a month, and in October this year to a staggering $30 a month. These price increases — especially doubling over the last two years — are a pain point for many gamers.
Who should subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate?
People who want to play the most games and get access to the latest games each month. The price — and its potential to increase in the future — might send people to other plans. If price is an issue, or you don’t think you’ll play $360 worth of games in a year, you can always treat this plan like a rental service. You can strategically subscribe during certain months to play new games you’re interested in and then unsubscribe in other months to save money.
For more on Xbox, discover some of the games available on Game Pass now and check out our hands-on review of Game Pass Ultimate. You can also learn about recent changes to Game Pass.
