October 2nd 2025.
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It seems like the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price increase has caused quite a stir, with many people predicting the downfall of the popular gaming platform. In the letters page on Thursday, one reader even went as far as to say that we'll never see a new Mass Effect game because of this decision. Let's take a closer look at what our readers have to say about this controversial move.
First off, we have Mr. K, a loyal Xbox member for almost 20 years. He's always been willing to pay the top tier price for Gold or Ultimate, and has found it to be a good value for money. However, the recent 50%+ increase in price has left a sour taste in his mouth. He questions how Xbox can justify such a steep increase for essentially the same service. Especially when reports show that Xbox will only account for 13% of console sales in the UK this year. As a result, Mr. K has made the decision to cancel his subscription, feeling like the multi-billion dollar company doesn't care about their loyal customers.
Next up, we have Saints Stickman, who has also decided to cancel their Game Pass Ultimate subscription due to the price hike. They admit that they struggled to justify the original price of £14.99 per month, and the increase was just too much for them. They also mention feeling disconnected from the games on the platform and being overwhelmed by the amount of shovelware available. In their eyes, Microsoft is pushing people away from their ecosystem instead of attracting them.
Tim brings up an interesting point about the cost of Game Pass when it was first announced in 2017. It was only £7.99 for over 100 games, including day one releases. But now, with the price increase, it's a hefty £23 per month. Tim, however, is patient and is willing to wait for the games to be available on the Premium tier, which promises to have Xbox published games within a year of release. This is something they used to do with retail versions, so they don't mind waiting a bit longer.
Moving on, we have Gantry, who makes a bold statement about the future of Xbox. They believe that the idea of Xbox has failed, and that it was only successful for a short period of four years with the Xbox 360. After that, things started to go downhill, especially with the introduction of Kinect. Gantry also points out that Microsoft has not learned from their mistakes in the 24 years they've been in the business. Despite being a big player in the industry, they've never been a threat to companies like Nintendo and Sony. And now, with the significant price increase, it seems like Xbox is on its last legs.
Lastly, Tacle weighs in on the Game Pass price hike and is surprised that anyone would try to defend it. They believe that it's a ridiculous move by Microsoft, especially considering their declining console sales. Tacle brings up the fact that streaming games is not a viable option for many people due to inconsistent broadband connections. They feel like Microsoft has lost touch with their audience and is making decisions that will only drive customers away.
In conclusion, it's clear that the Game Pass Ultimate price increase has caused quite a stir among our readers. Many loyal Xbox members have decided to cancel their subscriptions, feeling like they are not getting their money's worth. It remains to be seen how this decision will affect the future of Xbox, but it's safe to say that the company will have to do some damage control to win back the trust and support of their customers.
The recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate has caused quite a stir among Xbox fans. In a recent letter to the editor, one reader expressed their disappointment, predicting that the increase will ultimately lead to the demise of the popular gaming platform. It's clear that many are feeling frustrated and let down by the sudden change.
As part of our ongoing series, Games Inbox, we've received numerous letters, comments, and opinions from our readers on this issue. And it's no surprise that the majority are not happy with the decision. One long-time Xbox member, who has been with the platform for almost 20 years, shared their thoughts on the matter. They've always been a top-tier subscriber and have found the service to be good value for their money. However, the steep 50% increase announced recently has left them feeling disgusted and questioning the justification for such a drastic change.
It's a valid question, one that many have been asking. After all, in what other business would it be acceptable to raise prices by such a significant margin without providing any additional benefits? And to make matters worse, this comes at a time when Xbox's market share is declining. It's no wonder that some loyal subscribers, like Mr. K, have made the decision to cancel their subscription.
But it's not just Mr. K who has decided to say goodbye to Game Pass Ultimate. Another reader, who goes by the name "Saints Stickman," has also canceled their subscription. They too found the original price of £14.99 per month to be a bit steep, but the recent increase was the final straw. They also expressed feeling disconnected from the games on the platform and noticed an abundance of low-quality games available.
It seems that Microsoft's decision to raise prices has backfired, with many subscribers feeling undervalued and pushed away from the Xbox ecosystem. As one reader, "Tim," points out, the original cost of Game Pass was only £8 per month, which included over 100 games, including day-one releases. The new price of £23 per month seems excessive, especially when considering that many of these games can be purchased for less than that.
Some subscribers, however, have decided to wait and see if the increase is justified. Tim, for example, is willing to be patient and wait for the games to be released on other platforms. They've been doing this for years with retail versions, so why not continue to do so with Game Pass? Others, like GC reader "Gantry," have a more pessimistic view. They believe that the recent price increase is a clear sign of Xbox's failure and that they haven't learned anything in their 24 years in the business.
It's not just the increase in price that has many subscribers upset, but also the lack of improvement in the service itself. As one reader, "Tacle," points out, Microsoft seems to be ignoring the fact that not everyone has reliable and fast enough internet for game streaming to be a viable option. And even those with decent broadband are not convinced that the Xbox streaming service is up to par with other options on the market.
Overall, it's clear that the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate has caused a lot of frustration and disappointment among Xbox fans. And unless Microsoft can offer a compelling reason for the increase, it's likely that many more subscribers will be canceling their subscriptions in the near future. It's a sad end for a platform that once showed great promise but has now become a source of frustration for many.
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