Be prepared: Xbox Game Pass is raising its prices today

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The promised price hike for Xbox Game Pass is finally upon us, with subscription costs set to go up today.

Starting today, Xbox Game Pass subscription prices will rise from $9.99/ £7.99 / AU$10.95 to $10.99 / £8.99 / AU$11.95. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will also be affected, with their costs rising from $14.99 / £10.99 / AU$15.95 per month to $16.99 / £12.99 / AU$18.95. Those with PC Game Pass subscriptions have been spared the price hike, as will those in Norway, Chile, Denmark, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia.

However, for those willing to act quickly, there is a way to circumvent the price rise. Amazon is currently selling Xbox Game Pass Ultimate time cards at lower, pre-price-hike costs. Amazon US is offering similar savings, with one-month Game Pass Ultimate membership codes going for $13.82. Three-month codes are also available on the US store for $41.66. Amazon UK is selling one-month membership cards for £10.99, with three-month cards going for £32.97. We're not sure how long these deals will last, though, so we recommend acting sooner rather than later.

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Savvy investors can stack up to 36 months of prepaid Game Pass Ultimate membership on their accounts, so it's technically possible to avoid the price rise for three whole years.

Despite the price rises and the ongoing legal concerns about a Microsoft gaming monopoly, Xbox Game Pass remains one of the best subscription services out there, with a roster of the best Xbox Game Pass games that'll keep players satisfied for weeks at a time.

Microsoft is also set to increase the price of the Xbox Series X on August 1, with plans to increase the recommended retail price of the console from £449 / AU$749 (equivalent to $499) to £479.99 / AU$799.99 – an increase of 11%. That said, if you're in the market for an Xbox Series X, you may be able to get a great bargain by taking advantage of Amazon Prime Day Xbox Series X Deals when they come up around Amazon Prime Day 2023 from July 11-12.

With sales on the horizon, expect plenty of Prime Day gaming deals as well as specific price cuts such as Prime Day Xbox controller deals – both will be great means of saving money, and enjoying, the best Xbox Series X games for less.

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An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.