Microsoft has turned Game Pass from the "Netflix of videogames" to an overblown, overstuffed digital buffet of services that fully benefits no one. It made its "best value for money" motto a scam that likely no user will truly take advantage of anymore.
On October 1, Microsoft revealed a new monetization plan for Game Pass. The default version, which only grants access to roughly 50 titles, will start at $9.99; the next tier, Premium, starts at $14.99. Neither of these plants grants you access to the big Game Pass perk: day one releases.
The real kicker came with the Ultimate version, which is now priced at an absurd $29.99 per month. This came has some added benefits, of course, the most important being access to the Fortnite Crew subscription service starting this November, which in and of itself costs $12 per month. This service gives you access to every active battle pass in the battle royale (the regular battle pass, Music Pass, and the Lego Pass), 1,000 V-Bucks, an exclusive monthly skin, and other goodies. Other new perks include access to the Ubisoft+ Classics (priced at $7.99), where you can play a bunch of Ubi titles as well.
But what if you're not a Fortnite gamer? What if you don't really want to pay attention to any of the extra services now available, like Ubi+, EA Play, or Riot Games benefits? What if you were only interested in the original premise of Game Pass: a library of titles readily available for you to check out and try out for cheap? Well, that's basically gone.
The argument will still be made in favor of the service. Paying $360 a year is a good deal if you manage to make the most out of your time. In fairness, Game Pass has had some stellar day 1 releases that could justify paying that amount: Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Doom: The Dark Ages, Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered, Blue Prince, Silksong, with the likes of Ninja Gaiden 4 or Black Ops 7 still on the horizon. If you are a Fortnite player on top of that, then it is a steal. But for your average consumer, Game Pass Ultimate isn't the bang for your buck service it used to be.
On top of that, with the gap between the money you used to save and what it would cost you to outright buy the games you're interested in shrinking consistently, at this point, ownership over the content is something you should consider. Not that digital purchases don't come with their own set of caveats, but at the very least, you're not tied to the ever-shifting tides of Game Pass, suddenly announcing that a game you were trying to finish is being removed from the service, forcing you to rush through it, potentially ruining your experience, or never actually getting to the end.
Overall, the value of Game Pass will likely depend on how much you interact with the services offered. If you're a Fortnite player that loves Ubisoft games and occasionally delves into the world of League of Legends while you wait for the next day-one Game Pass release, then knock yourself out. But if the simple thought of having to maximize your investment by using services and playing games you have no interest in, then it's perhaps time you start owning the games you want to enjoy.
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