At one point Xbox Game Pass was one of the easiest recommendations in the games because its value was absurdly simple. Subscribers could pay a relatively low monthly fee, gain access to a large library of titles, and play new first-party Xbox games without having to purchase them individually. After Microsoft announced in 2018 that all new Xbox One exclusive games from Microsoft Studios would launch on Game Pass on the same day they were released globally, this alone, coupled with the price, could have justified several months of the service. It also reduced risk because players didn't have to accidentally spend $60 or $70 on a game that turned out to be unlikely.
However, it became much more difficult to justify a subscription to the service after Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — the all-in-one tier of the service — jumped to $29.99/month from $19.99/month in October 2025. PC Game Pass also went from $11.99/month to $16.49/month, making the service's value issue bigger than just Ultimate. However, that largely changed last month after Microsoft cut Ultimate back to $22.99 per month and PC Game Pass to $13.99 per month. Naturally, Game Pass is now easier to defend, but the question is no longer whether Game Pass is better than last year, but whether its new price makes it the best value in gaming again.
Xbox Game Pass price increase history explained
To the chagrin of Xbox Game Pass subscribers, it's increasing its cost yet again, and it's far from the first time the service has seen a price increase.
The best argument for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is still how much it includes
It's easy to look at the new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price and immediately think it's the best game subscription money can buy, but there's a little more to it than that. To be fair, the $7 price drop is significant, especially considering the new price is now only $3 more than the original tier price, as opposed to the extra $10 it cost subscribers after the October 2025 increase. But just because something is cheaper than it was doesn't mean it's the best value. It still comes down to the doors that the new price either opens or closes for current and potential subscribers. That's why it's worth looking at what the Ultimate tier of Xbox Game Pass has to offer and whether it justifies the cost of the service.
Everything included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
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Over 500 games on Xbox, PC and supported devices
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New games on day one, including new games published on Xbox and third-party games
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Includes Fortnite Crew, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics
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Stream games in high quality with the shortest latency, including select games you own
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Play and earn up to $100 a year in the rewards store
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Benefits for games like League of Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone
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Online console multiplayer
Without much effort, these benefits explain why Xbox Game Pass still has a serious claim to being one of the strongest gaming values, and the highest level of service is the best basis for this argument. Essentially an “all-in-one” level of Xbox Game Pass, it puts an extensive game library, access to first releases and PC ports, cloud streaming, online multiplayer, and several other perks that would otherwise exist outside of a basic subscription under one roof. Since the value of Game Pass never came from owning the games permanently, but from liberal access to their huge selection for $22.99 a month, Ultimate gives players a wide enough spread to replace multiple individual purchases, reduce the risk of trying something unfamiliar, and ensure that the service feels useful on more than one device or game.
That said, Ultimate's value still depends on subscribers treating it as more than a big demo bin. A gamer who uses it to try out a few games and then leave them behind may not get the same return as someone who uses the catalog regularly, jumps into day one releases, plays online, and takes advantage of PC or cloud options. This is where the Game Pass current value argument becomes more nuanced than it used to be. At $22.99/month, Ultimate may still look like a bargain, but only if its features are used. The service has enough included to justify the cost, but whether it's the best value in gaming depends on whether players can realistically get enough out of the package month after month.
Game Pass is more complete than PS Plus, but PS Plus is easier to justify for some players
Of course, for Xbox Game Pass to be considered the best value for gaming, it would have to beat its competition. Currently, PS Plus is Game Pass' biggest competitor, and Sony is definitely giving Microsoft a run for its money here. While Game Pass Ultimate is now $22.99 per month, PS Plus Premium, the closest equivalent to Game Pass Ultimate, is only $17.99. However, this doesn't inherently make PS Plus a better value, as it still depends on what each service offers relative to its price.
All included in PS Plus Premium
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Monthly games
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Online multiplayer
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Exclusive discounts
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Exclusive content
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Cloud storage
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Share Play
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Games catalog
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Ubisoft+ Classics
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Catalog of classics
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Game tests
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PS5 Cloud Streaming
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Sony Pictures catalog
Even with all these benefits, Game Pass Ultimate still probably beats PS Plus in the overall scope, as it covers console, PC, cloud, online play, bundled third-party services and first releases. PS Plus Premium wins for PlayStation-only players who want a cheaper service with a comprehensive catalog and aren't interested in Xbox, PC Game Pass, or day-one Xbox releases.
Game Pass beats most other services by being broader and not cheaper
But there are still plenty of other subscription services that gamers can take advantage of that aren't Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus. Nintendo Switch Online, GeForce NOW, EA Play Pro, Ubisoft+ Premium, and Apple Arcade provide similar services to subscribers, but they still pale in comparison to what Game Pass and even PS Plus offer. Still, they are worth further investigation, if only to settle the debate with more concrete evidence.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is a better buy on price alone. It costs $49.99/year for an individual membership and includes benefits like classic Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, and GameCube games, plus select DLC and Switch 2 upgrade benefits. The only caveat is that it doesn't really try to be or even compete with Game Pass. In the end, it's a cheaper subscription to the Nintendo ecosystem, not a modern game library.
GeForce NOW Ultimate is closer to Game Pass at $19.99/month, but is mostly a premium cloud gaming service. Its value comes from superior streaming performance, not from providing users with a Game Pass-style catalog. EA Play Pro and Ubisoft+ Premium are also useful comparisons, as they offer some fairly extensive libraries of publisher-specific games, but are understandably narrower. They make more sense for gamers interested in EA or Ubisoft games, while Game Pass offers more variety across publishers and genres.
In short, Nintendo wins on price. GeForce NOW wins in cloud performance. PS Plus can only be won for PlayStation players. Publisher subscriptions win for fans of one company's output. However, Xbox Game Pass does a lot more at once, so it's better overall.
Game Pass is again the best value, but mainly for the right player
All in all, Xbox Game Pass really is the best value for gaming, but especially for the right gamer. Ultimate is still more expensive than PS Plus Premium, much more expensive than Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and less focused than something like GeForce NOW for gamers who only care about cloud performance. But while Game Pass Ultimate isn't the cheapest service or the most specialized service, it's still the one that gives subscribers the most with just one subscription — with console games, PC access, cloud gaming, online multiplayer, day-one releases, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew and more.
That makes it harder for Game Pass to call an auto-recommendation, but easier to make a case for as the strongest all-around value. Players who only use one part of Ultimate may be better off elsewhere, but those who move between platforms, try out new releases, play online, and use add-ons can get more out of Game Pass than almost any other service. It may not be as absurdly easy a sell as it once was, but at its current price, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate once again has a real reason to be the best value in gaming.
