Microsoft talks Game Pass prices amid CoD deal
As Microsoft launches its appeals for the Activision takeover, the company has now revealed its plans to manage Game Pass prices should the deal be approved.
20th Jun 2023 11:46
Microsoft | Activision
Microsoft talks Game Pass prices amid CoD deal
As Microsoft launches its appeals for the Activision takeover, the company has now revealed its plans to manage Game Pass prices should the deal be approved.
20th Jun 2023 11:46
Microsoft | Activision
Xbox's Game Pass is one of the best subscription services out there for gamers, coming in at the price of three cups of coffee a month and giving you access to thousands of pounds worth of games.
But with the pending appeals for its Activision merger, Microsoft has indicated in the past that it might have to bump up the price of its service. That's if Call of Duty and future Bethesda games land on Game Pass.
Despite the anticipated catalogue of Diablo and Call of Duty titles, it seems like new court filings suggest that Game Pass is at a fixed rate. At least for now.
Microsoft rules out Game Pass price increase
Game pass' $1 trial might have been axed in recent weeks, but with growing fears that more games equal more fees, Microsoft has some good news coming your way.
In a recent filing to the FTC after the commission blocked the merger - akin to the CMA in the United Kingdom - Microsoft claimed that the addition of Call of Duty specifically to Game Pass would not increase the price of the subscription service.
"Here, the acquisition would benefit consumers by making Call of Duty available on Microsoft's Game Pass on the day it is released on console (with no price increase for the service based on the acquisition), on Nintendo, and on other services that allow cloud streaming," Microsoft says, in page 25 of the filing.
Game Pass prices aren't shifting, but there's no games coming anyway
Although the Game Pass price wouldn't initially be set for an increase, this might go hand-in-hand with the gaming giant's previous stance that nothing from Activision Blizzard would have landed on the service for quite some time anyway.
Blizzard also ruled out Diablo 4 coming on Game Pass too, meaning that even if the merger was given the green light, the outside lane to Game Pass avenue was still stuck on Amber. This isn't to say that Game Pass changes won't be coming down the line, as Sony has often accused Xbox of hoodwinking its way through these merger documents only to backtrack at a later date.
Enjoy it while we can Xbox owners, as the bargain is set in stone for a few years but there's no knowing what the future holds entirely.
About The Author
Jack Marsh
Jack is an Esports Journalist at GGRecon. Graduating from the University of Chester, with a BA Honours degree in Journalism, Jack is an avid esports enthusiast and specialises in Rocket League, Call of Duty, VALORANT, and trending gaming news.
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