Xbox Game Pass fans, listen up. The new Xbox boss, Asha Sharma, just dropped some surprising honesty: she thinks the subscription service has gotten too pricey for players. This isn’t just a casual comment, either; it came from a leaked internal memo seen by The Verge, where Sharma admitted the current Game Pass prices aren’t working and that Microsoft needs to rethink things fast.
Game Pass Has Become Too Expensive, Xbox Admits
Game Pass started out as a pretty sweet deal back in 2017, priced around $10 a month. Over time, it grew from that simple model into four different subscription plans: Essential, PC Game Pass, Premium, and Ultimate. But with bigger game libraries, day-one releases, and extras like Call of Duty added in, prices started climbing. The Ultimate tier alone jumped from $19.99 to $29.99 a month in 2025, which felt like a shock to many gamers’ wallets.
In Sharma’s memo, she didn’t beat around the bush: “Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation.” She also made it clear that this is just the start. The plan is to create a “more flexible system” that might take some time to figure out, but will hopefully offer better options for everyone in the long run.
Why the big price hikes? Part of the reason was Microsoft adding major franchises like Call of Duty to the Game Pass lineup. Including such huge titles bumped the subscription cost, but it also raised questions about whether bundling blockbusters is worth the price tag.
What Changes Xbox May Bring to Game Pass Next
Sharma hinted at changes but didn’t say exactly what those might be. Rumors floating around include the possibility of ad-supported tiers, similar to what streaming services do to offer cheaper plans. She even met with Netflix’s co-CEO recently to talk about ideas like bundling Game Pass with Netflix subscriptions.
There’s also chatter about whether Call of Duty will stay part of Game Pass. Since adding it caused a price jump, some speculate Microsoft might sell those games separately again to keep the subscription more affordable.
Whatever happens, Sharma promised to discuss her ideas with the Xbox team soon. It’s clear she’s ready to shake things up after the previous aggressive price increases left many subscribers frustrated or canceling.
Bottom line? Xbox knows it can’t keep pushing prices higher without losing players. Game Pass is central to Xbox’s gaming strategy, but it needs to feel worth it. Sharma’s memo is the first real sign of a course correction, and players hoping for cheaper, smarter options have reason to stay tuned.
