Microsoft’s greed just turned the best value subscription in gaming into a shameful cash grab
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription will increase by 75.38% from R199 to R349 per month starting December 9, following a previous 53.8% hike last year. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
Image: Michael Sherman/IOL
It finally happened. I got the email on Tuesday. My Microsoft Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription will be going up by 75.38% from R199 to R349 per month December 9. One week warning.
Gaming is not cheap, and the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription from Microsoft made it one of the most affordable ways to own your games.
When I first signed up for Xbox Game Pass a couple of years ago, it was R129 per month. That gave me access to around 100 games, and more new AAA games than I could play at any one time.
It was quite honestly the best value subscription available as a gamer.
Then the first price increase struck, without much warning it went up by R70 from R129 per month to R199 monthly in September last year. That was a 53.8% increase.
Xbox Subscription Price Hike: A 34% Increase in South Africa
Yet still, at R200 per month it was still worth it. Now Xbox have announced another massive increase which equates to R150 extra per month.
That means that in South Africa, I was paying R129 in August last year for the service, and from next month I will be paying over R200 more. That is just shameless from Microsoft.
Xbox have not put much effort into explaining why the prices are increasingly so dramatically, as they announced the moved in a statement to its subscribers in a nearly identical release to the one in 2024. When they first announced this looming increase, they also don’t bother to give you the rand value, and you had to calculate what you will actually be paying by working out what the 34% increase is on your current subscription. That calculation also turned out to be wrong as it wasn't a 34% but 75% in South Africa.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Increase: £14.99 Starting 12 September 2024
I got that email about the increase in October which read: “Thank you for being an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member. We are planning to update our prices to address changing market conditions. This price change allows us to continue to bring you more value and great games for the very best gaming experience. Starting 12 September 2024, you will be charged £14.99 plus applicable taxes every recurrence period unless you cancel up to two days prior to your next scheduled payment date. You can manage your subscription, how you pay, or cancel your subscription by visiting your Microsoft Account here.”
The best value subscription in all of gaming is no longer, and neither will be my subscription. Well done Microsoft.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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