Microsoft Makes First Xbox Game Pass Lineup Announcement Since Raising the Price of Ultimate

Microsoft has made its archetypal Xbox Game Pass lineup announcement since its arguable determination to rise the terms of the Ultimate subscription.

Last week, Microsoft sparked a backlash with its determination to rise the terms of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 a period to $29.99 a period (a 50% summation that amounts to an other $120 a year).

To warrant the terms hike, Microsoft upped the fig of time 1 releases per twelvemonth to 75, and added Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics for the archetypal clip ever. There were besides upgrades to Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming quality.

Microsoft insisted the caller $30 a period Ultimate terms reflects “the expanded catalog, caller spouse benefits, and upgraded unreality gaming experience.”

But that didn’t halt fans from reassessing whether Game Pass remained close for them. IGN’s canvass connected the issue, which present has implicit 42,000 voters, shows 53.9% of our assemblage volition not subscribe to Game Pass astatine all. 19.8% said they were going for Ultimate contempt the terms rise.

Still, Microsoft has soldiered connected with its Game Pass lineup announcement for October 2025, revealing the games subscribers tin expect successful a station connected Xbox Wire.

There are immoderate large first-party hitters successful here, including Double Fine’s Keeper, and the Xbox Game Studios’ published Ninja Gaiden 4. There’s besides Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Editions connected PC, and the time 1 merchandise of Ball x Pit.

Xbox Game Pass Wave 1 October 2025 lineup:

• October 8: Supermarket Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• October 9: Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Editions (PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• October 14: The Casting of Frank Stone (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• October 15: Ball x Pit (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• October 15: The Grinch: Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• October 15: Eternal Strands (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Now with Game Pass Premium
• October 15: He Is Coming (Game Preview) (PC) Now with Game Pass Premium
• October 15: Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Now with Game Pass Premium
• October 16: Pax Dei (PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• October 17: Keeper (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• October 21: Evil West (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• October 21: Ninja Gaiden 4 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Meanwhile, leaving Game Pass successful October are Cocoon, Core Keeper, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed.

Leaving Xbox Game Pass connected October 15, 2025:

The pursuing games are leaving the Game Pass room soon. You tin prevention up to 20% disconnected your purchase.

• Cocoon (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Core Keeper (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed (Cloud, Console, and PC)

The updated pricing went into effect connected October 1 for caller subscribers, and was acceptable to footwear successful connected November 4 for each existent subscribers. But Microsoft has confirmed it has delayed the Ultimate terms hike successful immoderate countries, specified arsenic Ireland and South Korea. Unfortunately for subscribers successful the U.S. and UK, this does not use to them.

This week, Microsoft confirmed it had besides scrapped the Xbox Game Pass discount connected DLC purchases, giving subscribers much points for usage successful its Rewards strategy instead. That alteration hasn't gone down well, either.

The outgo of being an Xbox instrumentality has been a blistery taxable successful caller months. After announcing a leap to $80 for its games owed retired this holiday, Microsoft back-tracked to instrumentality with $70 for the likes of The Outer Worlds 2. And conscionable past period Microsoft raised the terms of Xbox consoles successful the U.S. "due to changes successful the macroeconomic environment."

Microsoft likewise raised eyebrows erstwhile it confirmed a $999.99 terms tag for the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally X handheld, and $599.99 for the ROG Xbox Ally.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].