In modern Fallout games, you can make a decision so bone-headed that the game will inform you that “Everyone disliked that”? That’s what is happening to Xbox as a brand right now, and the message is coming from some of its most ardent fans.
Earlier today, Microsoft announced a 50% increase for Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, with the price going from $19.99 to $29.99 per month. At this subscription tier, fans will have access to hundreds of games, day-one access to Xbox-published titles, and perks like Fortnite Crew, EA Play, and Ubisoft+ Classics. Arguably, it’s still a good deal if you use any or all of these add-ons. Fortnite Crew alone costs $11.99 a month. Game Pass still routinely offers fantastic games.
But the price hike comes on the heels of a 2024 price increase, and despite Microsoft insisting its subscription model is already profitable. Microsoft also upped the price of the Xbox Series X twice this year alone, and high-end model now costs $800. Then you’ve got the ROG Xbox Ally handheld launching Oct. 16 for an eye-watering $1000. Most people won’t be purchasing all of these things at once, if at all. The pace at which Microsoft is jacking up priced amid ongoing delays of long anticipated games has left even ardent fans in total disbelief.
“Dear @Xbox, you’ve helped me make an easy decision to end my time playing Xbox after 20 plus years,” reads one post on social media site X.
“Well done Xbox, you ruined what was one of the best deals in gaming,” one user on X wrote, noting that they had kept a subscription active for seven years.
“I’ve used Xbox as my main gaming platform for over 10 years,” another player said. “You lost me today.”
It’s the same on any social media site, really. Over at the r/Xbox subreddit, where nearly 500,000 uber-fans congregate, the tone is somber as well.
“Just canceled my sub,” one user on the main thread chronicling the price hike said. “Microsoft is delusional.”
“I just canceled my ultimate sub,” another former fan wrote. “I’m a 15-year Xbox fan and customer. I was already questioning the value a lot but kept it because of their gatekeeping online play at $10/mo so why not pay the extra $10 for Game Pass … it feels good to let go.”
Even brands like GameStop, no stranger to disgruntled consumers, are taking shots at Xbox right now. Meanwhile, the page that helps people cancel their Game Pass subscriptions is getting hammered so hard, it’s no longer functional for some people.
The writing has been on the wall for a while now, the latest example being Sony’s September State of Play showcase, which revealed that Microsoft Flight Simulator would come to PlayStation platforms. Though the notion of console exclusives has grown increasingly spurious over the years, a console port of this kind stood apart. Flight Sim‘s entire purpose was to show off what was possible on Xbox … but now it’s also on a competitor’s platform. Call it a smart business move or an inevitable one, but news of the port struck some viewers as Microsoft throwing in the towel.
Realistically though, Microsoft’s recent moves may mean little for someone who is already all-in on the Xbox ecosystem. They’ve probably already got that pricey handheld pre-ordered. They might’ve spent a stint spreading the gospel of Game Pass to other people. The deal was so good, telling other people about it practically became a meme. At no point did Microsoft ever give the impression it was ‘winning’ the console wars, but it hasn’t ever mattered to Team Green’s core fanbase.
Even the most decorated console war veterans can’t defend this move, and it seems they’re not trying to. Some of them have already decided that it’s a good time to move on. It’s unclear in this moment what the future holds for Xbox, but the reaction to this news feels very different than anything that’s come before.
