Yesterday was a bit of a crazy one, wasn't it?! Out of nowhere, Xbox quietly announced that Game Pass was getting a price increase starting this week for new subscribers, and it's an increase that affects the vast majority of regions.
However, just because Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now costs £14.99 / $19.99 per-month via Xbox, that doesn't mean you can't find a better deal! In fact, various retailers are offering 1 month of Game Pass Ultimate for a lower price right now, and it should be as simple as redeeming the code and then adding it to your account.
Examples include the likes of CDKeys and Amazon, as well as our very own Pure Xbox codes store:
We say "should", because who knows what plans Microsoft might have in store for the future. As of right now though, this can be a cost-effective way of topping up your Xbox Game Pass subscription at a lower price than going direct.
Also, if you're a new member or your Xbox Game Pass subscription has lapsed, we should mention that Xbox allows you to convert Game Pass Core and PC Game Pass codes at a ratio of 3:2. If you're able to stack a bunch of these at once (up to 36 months' worth), it can work out really well in the long run. Here's more explanation about this:
"When you subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, we'll convert any prepaid time you have on Xbox Game Pass or EA Play subscriptions and apply it toward Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the current conversion ratio, up to a maximum of 36 months. Prepaid time conversion is final and non-refundable, and ratios are subject to change."
"Xbox Game Pass Core and PC Game Pass conversion ratio: Any remaining time will convert to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate time at a ratio of 3:2 and be rounded up to the next full day. For example, 90 days remaining of Xbox Game Pass Core or PC Game Pass will convert to 60 days of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate time."
Oh, and don't forget about Microsoft Rewards! If you're dedicated and in an applicable region, you can earn around 10,000 Microsoft Rewards points per-month on Xbox, which is almost enough for a month of Game Pass Ultimate.
As mentioned, you should keep in mind that all of this is subject to change, and Microsoft ultimately has the power to make any adjustments that are deemed necessary. It's also worth highlighting that existing Xbox Game Pass subscribers won't notice any price increases until September 12th, or (presumably) whenever their next billing date is.
So, there you go! As disappointing as price increases can be, a great deal is usually never far away!