At one time, Xbox Game Pass was one of the easiest recommendations in gaming because its value proposition was absurdly simple. Subscribers can pay a relatively low monthly fee, get access to a large library of titles, and play new Xbox first-party games on day one without having to purchase them individually. After Microsoft announced in 2018 that all new Xbox One exclusive games from Microsoft Studios would launch in Game Pass on the same day they were released globally, which, along with the price, could justify several months of the service itself. It also lowered the risk, as players didn't have to waste $60 or $70 on a game that turned out not to be their cup of tea.
However, subscribing to the service became much harder to defend after Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — the service's “all-in-one” tier — jumped to $29.99/month in October 2025 from $19.99/month. PC Game Pass also jumped from $11.99/month to $16.49/month, making the service's value problem bigger than just Ultimate. That largely changed last month, however, after Microsoft dropped Ultimate back to $22.99/month and PC Game Pass to $13.99/month. Of course, Game Pass is now easier to defend, but the question is no longer whether Game Pass is better than it was last year, but whether its new price once again makes it the best value in gaming.
The History of Xbox Game Pass Price Increases Explained
To the chagrin of subscribers, Xbox Game Pass is increasing its costs yet again, and it's far from the first time the service has seen a price hike.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's best argument is still how much it contains
It's easy to look at Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's new price and immediately think it's back to being the best game subscription service money can buy, but there's a bit more to it than that. To be fair, a $7 price drop is significant, especially given that the new price is now just $3 more than the tier's original cost, as opposed to the extra $10 it cost subscribers after the October 2025 increase. But just because something is cheaper than it once was doesn't make it the best value. It still depends on the new price either opening or closing for current and potential subscribers. As such, it's worth looking at what the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate level offers and whether it justifies the cost of the service.
Everything is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
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Over 500 games on Xbox console, PC and supported devices
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New games on day one, including new Xbox published games and third party games
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Includes Fortnite Crew, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics
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Stream games in high quality with the shortest latency, including select games you own
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Play and earn up to $100 per year in the store with rewards
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Benefits for games like League of Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone
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Online console multiplayer
Without much effort at all, these benefits explain why Xbox Game Pass still has a serious claim to being one of the strongest values in gaming, and the service's Ultimate tier is the best basis for that argument. Essentially the all-in-one tier of Xbox Game Pass, it puts an extensive game library, access to day one releases and PC ports, cloud streaming, online multiplayer, and several extra perks that would otherwise be outside of the core subscription all under one roof. Because Game Pass value has never come from owning games permanently but from having free access to a huge selection of them, for $22.99/month, Ultimate gives players enough spread that it can replace multiple individual purchases, reduce the risk of trying something unfamiliar, and make the service feel useful across more than one device or gaming habit.
That said, Ultimate's value still depends on whether subscribers treat it as more than a big demo box. A player who uses it to try out a few games and then leave them behind may not get the same return as someone who regularly uses the catalog, jumps in on day one, plays online and takes advantage of the PC or cloud options. This is where Game Pass' current value argument becomes more nuanced than it used to be. At $22.99/month, Ultimate may still look like a strong deal, but only if its features are utilized. The service has enough to justify the cost, but whether it's the best value in gaming depends on whether players can realistically get enough out of the package month after month.
Game Pass is more complete than PS Plus, but PS Plus is easier to justify for some players
Of course, for Xbox Game Pass to be considered the best value in gaming, it has to outperform its competition. Currently, PS Plus is Game Pass' main competitor, and Sony really gives Microsoft a run for its money here in terms of price. While Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99/month, PS Plus Premium, the service's closest equivalent to Game Pass Ultimate, is only $17.99. However, that doesn't in itself make PS Plus the better value, as it's still about what each service offers in proportion to their cost.
Everything is included in PS Plus Premium
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Monthly games
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Online multiplayer
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Exclusive discounts
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Exclusive content
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Cloud storage
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Share Play
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Game catalog
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Ubisoft+ classics
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Classic catalog
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Game attempt
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PS5 Cloud streaming
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Sony Pictures Catalogue
Even with all these advantages, Game Pass Ultimate still probably beats PS Plus in overall scope as it covers console, PC, cloud, online games, bundled third party services and first day releases. PS Plus Premium wins for PlayStation gamers who want a cheaper service with a deep catalog and don't care about Xbox, PC Game Pass or first Xbox releases.
Game Pass beats most other services by being broader, not cheaper
But there are still plenty of other subscription services that gamers can take advantage of that aren't Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus. Nintendo Switch Online, GeForce NOW, EA Play Pro, Ubisoft+ Premium and Apple Arcade all provide subscribers with similar services, but they still pale in comparison to what Game Pass, and even PS Plus, offer. Still, they are worth a deeper look, if only to settle the debate with more concrete evidence.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is the best bargain just for the price. It costs $49.99/year for an individual membership and includes perks like classic Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis and GameCube games, plus select DLC and Switch 2 upgrade packs. The only caveat is that it doesn't really try to be Game Pass or even compete with it. Ultimately, it's a cheaper Nintendo ecosystem subscription, not a modern game library.
GeForce NOW Ultimate is closer to Game Pass in monthly price at $19.99/month, but it's mostly a premium cloud gaming service. Its value comes from high-end streaming performance, not from giving users a Game Pass-style bundled catalog. EA Play Pro and Ubisoft+ Premium are also useful comparisons as they offer some fairly extensive, publisher-specific game libraries, but are understandably narrower. They make more sense for gamers who care about EA or Ubisoft games, while Game Pass offers more variety between publishers and genres.
In short, Nintendo wins on price. GeForce NOW wins on cloud performance. PS Plus could be a win for PlayStation gamers. Publisher subscriptions win for fans of a company's output. But Xbox Game Pass does a lot more at once, making it a better value overall.
Game Pass is the best value once again, but largely for the right players
Overall, Xbox Game Pass really is the best value in gaming again, but primarily for the right players. Ultimate is still more expensive than PS Plus Premium, much more expensive than Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and less focused than something like GeForce NOW for gamers who only care about cloud performance. But while Game Pass Ultimate isn't the cheapest service, or the most specialized, it's still the one that gives subscribers the most with just one subscription—with console games, PC access, cloud gaming, online multiplayer, day-one releases, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew, and other perks.
That makes Game Pass harder to call an automatic recommendation, but easier to defend as the strongest all-around value. Players who use only a portion of Ultimate may be better off elsewhere, but those who move between platforms, try out new versions, play online, and use the extras can still get more out of Game Pass than almost any other service. It may no longer be the absurdly easy sell it once was, but at its current price, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate once again has a real case for being the best value in gaming.
