Microsoft has announced significant changes to its Xbox Game Pass service, effective today, April 22, 2026. The company is reducing subscription prices while simultaneously removing day-one access to new Call of Duty titles for subscribers.
Starting today, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription will decrease from $29.99 to $22.99 per month in the United States, representing a approximately 23 percent reduction. In the United Kingdom, the price will drop from £22.99 to £16.99 monthly. PC Game Pass will also see reductions, falling from $16.49 to $13.99 per month in the US and from £13.49 to £10.99 in the UK.
Despite the price cuts, Microsoft confirmed that future Call of Duty games will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch. New titles in the franchise will instead retail at full price—typically £70 or $80—and will become accessible on the service approximately one year after their initial release. Previously released Call of Duty games will remain available to subscribers.
The changes come after Microsoft’s 2023 acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, which brought the Call of Duty franchise under its ownership. Microsoft Gaming boss Asha Sharma stated that the adjustments were made because “Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players,” aiming to better align the service with player expectations.
Older Call of Duty titles and games from other Microsoft-owned studios will continue to be available on Game Pass from their release dates, ensuring subscribers retain access to a broad library of content despite the franchise-specific adjustment.
