Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 a Hot Topic as Microsoft Hikes Xbox Game Pass Prices [IGN]

Microsoft announced on July 9, 2024 that it’s raising the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate worldwide and specifically from $16.99 to $19.99 a month in the U.S. Price changes go into effect for new members on July 10, 2024 and for existing members on September 12, 2024.

The more basic $10.99 Xbox Game Pass Console tier is “soon” being replaced with Xbox Game Pass Standard too — a $14.99 option which doesn’t include the beloved day one release feature, “specific entries to the Game Pass Ultimate library,” access to EA Play, Xbox Cloud Gaming, perks, Quests, and discounts on games in the Game Pass library.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate was last increased in price in 2023, from $14.99 to $16.99, meaning paying $14.99 a month for Xbox Game Pass therefore nets users significantly less than it did just one year ago, with Microsoft essentially removing day one titles, EA Play, cloud gaming, and free perks from the service in that time.

But it’s the lack of day one titles on the soon standard tier which has some fans most upset, especially as Call of Duty will finally appear as an Xbox Game Pass title with 2024’s Black Ops 6 following Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft has been accused of lying about the status of Black Ops 6 on Xbox Game Pass, as in May 2024 the company confirmed it as a day one title and made no indication players wouldn’t be able to access it on their current subscriptions.

“Upon launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be playable on Xbox and PC for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass for Console members,” Microsoft said at the time.

This is true, however. Microsoft said Black Ops 6 will be available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Console. But it didn’t say the first two would see a price increase worldwide or that the final, cheapest tier would be made obsolete.

Microsoft couldn’t even guarantee games like Black Ops 6 would come to Xbox Game Pass Standard eventually. These titles “may be added to the library at a future date,” it said.

So the implication at the time that Black Ops 6 would be available through the $10.99 a month subscription is no longer true unless you’re subscribed to that tier already, as new customers can’t sign up for it. Instead of that $10.99, the cheapest Game Pass tier through which Xbox console players can now access Black Ops 6 is the bumped up Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, at $19.99 a month.

Fans are therefore a little frustrated, with many saying they plan to cancel their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions once their current run ends.

“No no, we’re not changing Game Pass, we’re not doing a price increase, putting Black Ops 6 on Game Pass hasn’t change Game Pass pricing,” mocked @CODWarfareForum on X/Twitter. “Two months later: Oh yeah we lied again, we’re increasing Game Pass subs and we’re changing the tiers.”

“Xbox Game Pass prices set to increase by 25%, just in time for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 release,” said @GNGNewsCOD. “Xbox Game Pass’s new pricing is basically the ‘Call of Duty day one tax’ and it’s getting seriously wild how expensive subscriptions are become for both PlayStation and Xbox,” added @SynthPotato. “It’s now official despite previous reassurances the standard version of Xbox Game Pass will not include day one titles like the next Call of Duty, Doom, or Indiana Jones,” said @oliver_drk.

Others said they expected the release of Black Ops 6 to bump up Game Pass prices, though they’re not necessarily happy about it. “Makes too much sense… incoming COD,” said SnatcherHunter on ResetEra. “Day one COD doesn’t sound so good now,” said ChEmIcAl_KeEn on Reddit.

“I thought this would happen in September before Call of Duty. The monthly costs are adding up,” said @Otikage on X/Twitter. “Price increase was expected though, all those studios to cater for. I am sure the price is just gonna keep going up with more acquisitions.”

Rumors around a spike have circulated since May 2024, essentially since Microsoft announced Black Ops 6 would be coming as a day one title. The price rise also comes after Microsoft shut down entire studios including Hi-Fi Rush and Ghostwire Tokyo developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.