By Tomas Franzese
Publication Date: 2026-04-18 21:20:00
Microsoft increased the price of every Xbox Game Pass tier in October 2025 and claimed it did so because it was “delivering more value, more benefits, and more great games across every plan.” Now, seven months and an Xbox leadership change later, even Microsoft seems unsure of what the subscription service’s future looks like, according to a new report.
On April 16, The Verge’s Notepad newsletter discussed some of the changes and ideas Asha Sharma is fielding internally after taking over as CEO of Microsoft Gaming from Phil Spencer in February. Earlier this week, she stated in a memo that Game Pass has become too expensive. As a result, she is reportedly considering a Game Pass tier that exclusively includes first-party games from Microsoft-owned studios and is debating whether future Call of Duty games should come to Xbox Game Pass on day one.
Polygon has contacted Microsoft for comment, and we will update this story if we get a response.
The Verge’s…
