Perhaps the most talked-about gaming news right now is Microsoft’s decision to overhaul the pricing of Game Pass. Most notably, the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has increased by 50%, climbing from $19.99 to $29.99 in the U.S. The good news is that you can still stock up on $20 codes by buying top-up gift cards, rather than directly from Microsoft. These recently sold out at Amazon, but we noticed that they’re still available at Newegg.

And now, there’s more good news for gamers who are less than impressed by the price hike (pretty much everyone, from what we’ve seen). Microsoft has delayed the rollout of price hikes in some regions. The price increase will only affect new purchases rather than existing members – so far confirmed in Ireland, Germany, Poland, India, South Korea, and more.

Xbox Game Pass price adjustments won’t affect current subscribers

According to an email being sent out to subscribers, reported by The Verge and various users online, the changes “only affect new purchases,” so those with an active subscription are unaffected unless they cancel their plan and repurchase. A Polish user reported the same on Reddit, and a Korean source mimicked the news. Microsoft’s response to The Verge confirms it’s legitimate.

“Our recent Game Pass update remains unchanged. Current subscribers in certain countries will continue renewing at their existing price for now, in line with local requirements. We'll provide advance notice before price adjustments take effect in these countries,”

Kari Perez, head of Xbox communications, via The Verge

Here’s a list of all the countries reportedly unaffected so far, based on user reports online (we recommend browsing through this Reddit thread or simply checking your emails if you’re an active subscriber). It’s safe to say that this list is not finalized, and we hope to see Microsoft/Xbox release an official statement on the exact regions affected by price changes.

• Ireland
• Germany
• Austria
• Poland
• India
• Indonesia
• South Korea

It was first thought that this change would affect the entirety of Europe (given the confirmations in Poland and Germany), but this doesn’t seem to be the case – one user from Spain claims their subscription price is rising. Elsewhere in the world, another user on Reddit from Indonesia says their subscription price remains untouched, too.

Sadly, due to the price hike affecting all new subscribers, those who canceled their subscriptions in a knee-jerk reaction, only to later see their region is unaffected, won’t be able to return to the old price tag. For those who stuck with it, and live in one of the regions above, you can keep your usual price “for now”.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.