Microsoft slashes Xbox Game Pass prices in big strategy shift

Microsoft has cut Xbox Game Pass prices globally and in South Africa, reversing steep hikes imposed in October 2025. Game Pass Ultimate in South Africa drops from R349 to R239/month, while US Ultimate falls from $29.99 to $22.99/month. The move is the first major strategic decision under new Xbox chief Asha Sharma, who acknowledged in an internal memo that Game Pass had become too expensive. Alongside the price cuts, Microsoft is removing day-one access to new Call of Duty titles from Game Pass, with future releases added roughly a year after launch — reversing a key selling point from the $69-billion Activision Blizzard acquisition. The rapid reversal suggests the 2025 pricing experiment failed to deliver subscriber growth, as Microsoft continues to trail Sony and Nintendo in console sales.