New subscription tiers and prices: Microsoft has renamed the service’s tiers and raised the price of the top-end Game Pass Ultimate plan.
Essential: The new name for the former Xbox Game Pass Core
Ultimate: The highest-tier plan received a significant price hike but also added major new content and benefits.
Major content additions: As part of the new tiered structure, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now includes additional services.
Ubisoft+ Classics: A library of more than 30 Ubisoft titles is now available to Ultimate members.
Fortnite Crew: Starting November 18, Fortnite Crew, which offers monthly V-Bucks and a Battle Pass, is included with an Ultimate subscription.
Increased day-one releases: Microsoft claims that the number of day-one game releases for Game Pass Ultimate will increase by 50% over the next 12 months.
Mixed reception: The changes have received a mixed response from players, with many expressing concern over the price increase.
New games and updates
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta: The beta for the latest Call of Duty installment is live for Game Pass Ultimate members, though some players have already reported bugs.
Games for October 6–10: Major releases this week include Battlefield 6, Yooka-Replayee, and Little Nightmares 3.
New to Game Pass: The service continues to receive new titles, including Hogwarts Legacy and several new games added to the Essential tier.
Delisting of games: The title Rock Band 4 is being delisted from digital stores, along with some of its downloadable content (DLC).
Console and cloud gaming
Free cloud gaming tier: Reports indicate that Microsoft is preparing to announce a free, ad-supported tier for Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Next-gen console rumors: A Windows Central report suggests a premium Xbox Series X successor, possibly named “Xbox Prime,” could launch in 2026 alongside a handheld PC gaming device.
Console performance updates: The June update for Xbox included enhancements for cloud saving and customizable home screens.