Microsoft has recently increased the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 to $29.99 per month, while also updating its other subscription tiers. This significant price hike has left many gamers searching for alternatives.
However, there’s good news for savvy shoppers! Major US retailer GameStop has publicly announced its commitment to continue selling Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the original $19.99 price, both in-store and online, effectively sidestepping Microsoft’s increase for now.
We will continue to sell Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $19.99/month in-store and online. pic.twitter.com/EAPGaud7cY
— GameStop (@gamestop) October 1, 2025
GameStop isn’t alone in offering this relief. Other major US retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, are also currently listing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the pre-hike price of $19.99 per month. The key difference is that GameStop is the only one to have publicly confirmed this policy, while the others simply continue to sell their existing stock at the old rate.
Many Xbox fans believe this price freeze is due to retailers selling off their existing inventory of Game Pass codes, which were originally issued at the $19.99 price. For physical cards, this makes perfect sense, as changing the printed value would be impractical.
The situation for online sales is a bit murkier. While digital codes are typically distributed through automated systems, making price adjustments easier for new stock, it’s still unclear how this affects codes already supplied by Microsoft to these retailers. GameStop has not yet clarified whether their unchanged price is a logistical decision, a result of old inventory, or a strategic move to attract customers.
Following Microsoft’s announcement, there was a sharp surge in interest for prepaid Game Pass codes at the old prices, as subscribers rushed to secure the lower rate before the changes fully took effect.
For those looking to maximize savings, Game Pass Ultimate memberships can be stacked on a single account for up to 36 months. Many eager fans immediately tried to lock in the lower rate.
We calculated that pre-paying for three years of Game Pass Ultimate at the old price would cost $719.88, breaking down to $239.96 per year. This represents a substantial saving of $359.76 compared to the new monthly rate of $29.99, which would total a staggering $1,079.64 over three years.
While this offers the greatest potential saving, many subscribers might opt for shorter periods like three months or a year, still benefiting from the current deal. This isn’t the first time Game Pass prices have shifted, but it certainly marks the most significant leap.
In July 2024, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate saw an 18% increase in the US, going from $16.99 to $19.99 a month. Now, just 14 months later, the cost has jumped by a massive 50%, adding an extra $120 per year to subscriptions. To sweeten the deal, Microsoft did announce the addition of over 45 new games to Game Pass as part of this price adjustment.