The price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate recently saw a significant jump in the US, soaring by a massive 50% from $19.99 to $29.99 per month. This adds an extra $120 to your annual gaming budget, making it much tougher to keep enjoying what was once considered one of gaming’s best deals. Ouch!
If you’re looking to sidestep this price increase, one strategy is to “stack” your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership up to its maximum of 36 months before the new prices fully take effect. Of course, you could also just cancel your subscription entirely – no one’s forcing you to stick around!
Interestingly, Amazon has recently adjusted its Game Pass pricing. Instead of hiking prices, they’ve actually dropped them. You can currently find three-month Game Pass Ultimate codes for just $56.99, a 5% discount. That’s a fantastic deal!
In addition to the three-month codes, Amazon still offers one-month codes available for $19.99, which now effectively acts as a $10 discount compared to the new monthly rate. Opting for the three-month codes at $56.99 each saves you $3 off the old pricing and represents a substantial saving against the new $89.99 three-month cost.
You can pre-purchase up to 12 codes to max out your account for three years. This would cost $683.88 in the US, averaging $227.96 per year. While spending nearly $700 upfront on a subscription service might seem like a lot, especially in the current economic climate, it’s important to see the potential savings.
For comparison, at the new rate of $29.99 per month, three years of Game Pass Ultimate would set you back a hefty $1,079.64.
By securing your subscription now with stacked codes, you could save up to $395.76, essentially covering more than an extra year. However, it’s understandable if many feel hesitant to invest so much in a service that has repeatedly raised its prices. Even just covering yourself for the next 12 months could save you, bringing your annual cost to $227.96 instead of $359.88.
Xbox Game Pass Tier and Price Changes, October 2025:
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: $29.99 a month, up from $19.99 a month
- Xbox Game Pass Premium: $14.99 a month, the same as the old Standard subscription
- Xbox Game Pass Essential: $9.99 a month, the same as the old Core subscription
- PC Game Pass: $16.49 a month, up from $11.99
These new prices became effective on October 1 for new subscribers and will apply to current subscribers starting November 4. Coinciding with this announcement, Microsoft expanded Game Pass with over 45 new titles, including popular games like Hogwarts Legacy and a significant portion of Ubisoft’s back catalog.
Amazon isn’t the only retailer holding out on the price hike; other major US retailers like Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and even GameStop have also confirmed they will continue to sell Xbox Game Pass at its pre-hike price, for now.
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This article was brought to you by Robert Anderson, our Senior Commerce Editor and resident deals expert for games, collectibles, and trading card games.