Xbox Game Pass strategy changes: price and flexibility updates

Internal Xbox documents have revealed potential changes to the Game Pass subscription strategy. According to the leak, Microsoft's new gaming division head Asha Sharma acknowledged that the current service price has become too high for users and requires reevaluation.

A staff memo notes that Game Pass remains a key element of the Xbox ecosystem, but the current model is far from final. In the short term, the company intends to reassess the subscription's value for players, while in the long term, it plans to move toward a more flexible system that will be gradually tested and refined.

Over the last 15 months, Microsoft has already raised the Game Pass price twice, sparking discontent among some users. Meanwhile, the service continues to actively expand its library with new games, including indie hits like Hades 2 and major releases such as the updated version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Sources indicate that the addition of the Call of Duty franchise may have influenced the subscription cost increase, as including such games in the catalog reduces direct sales. This forces the company to find a balance between user benefits and its own profitability.

It remains unclear exactly what changes the strategy review will bring, but the mere acknowledgment of the issue within the company could be the first step toward updating Game Pass and enhancing its appeal to players.