Xbox Game Pass is getting a significant price drop, with a notable caveat. After years of price increases that have seemingly off-sided some subscribers, the decision has been made that new Call of Duty games will no longer be offered on the subscription platform, allowing for a price drop for all tiers.
As announced, existing Call of Duty games will remain available on Xbox Game Pass, but all future titles will be standalone releases. While an exact reason was not detailed, we can assume the performance of 2025’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was not enough to justify the added cost, or the potential lost subscribers.
Going forward, Xbox Game Pass will be slightly leaner, but those who subscribe for games beyond Call of Duty will likely be relieved by the reduced cost.
Xbox Game Pass: Price changes for Australia – quick links
How much Xbox Game Pass will cost in Australia from April 2026
In Australia, Xbox Game Pass will be dropping significantly, thanks to the departure of new Call of Duty titles. Where previously, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass price was AU$35.95 per month, it will now be AU$25.95.
Those on the lesser PC Game Pass subscription tier will go from paying AU$19.45 to paying AU$16.95.
‘Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes, so while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far,’ Xbox says. ‘We’ll continue to listen and learn.’
In a cost of living crisis, lowering the higher-tier subscription fee by $10, with only a minor caveat, is good practice. Given the response online, the changes could also have a significant knock-on impact, with subscribers now more likely to return.
Anecdotally, Xbox’s big announcement was met by high praise online, with many taking to social media to confirm they would consider resubscribing given the more approachable cost, and their perception of value for money.
Xbox Game Pass price changes just the start of planned company overhaul
What’s notable about these price changes is they’re the first major change made as part of a recent leadership shift at Xbox. Following the departures of prior leadership, the company is now being helmed by Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO, and Matt Booty, Xbox Chief Content.
In a new statement, they have acknowledged a need to change and rebrand, to reconnect with an audience base that’s been alienated by years of downturn and perceived mismanagement, including a recent marketing campaign which attempted to downplay the value of the Xbox console.
‘We have work to do,’ the pair said in a joint statement released via Xbox Wire. ‘Players are frustrated.’
‘New feature drops on console have been less frequent. Our presence on PC isn’t strong enough. Pricing is getting harder for people to keep up with. And core experiences like search, discovery, social, and personalisation still feel too fragmented.’
‘The model that got us here won’t be the one that takes us forward.’
To better serve its audience, the Xbox team has pledged to be more flexible, to deliver a ‘premium experience’ and to offer a more ‘adaptable’ experience for players.
Heading into the future, the company will lean into new pillars, including a strong hardware base, a portfolio of content including ‘franchises players love,’ a fresh experience for players and partners, and more impactful services.
At this stage, it’s unclear how this planned strengthening will occur – more mergers and acquisitions are mentioned, which is slightly worrying, given recent layoff trends – but we are seeing the first steps in the reduction of subscription costs for Xbox Game Pass, at least. Hopefully, there will be more player-first changes in future, with a mind to better foster community growth.
As the Xbox leadership team acknowledges, the brand was built on a passionate player base. Here’s to hoping future developments can refocus on better serving this audience.
