PC Game Pass Gets Price Hike, Still Offers Day-One Access

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In a significant clarification to its newly restructured subscription model, Microsoft has confirmed that a standalone PC Game Pass tier will continue to exist, but at a higher price. The dedicated PC option, formerly priced at $11.99/month, is now listed at $16.49/month, representing a price increase of nearly 40%.

This information contradicts earlier reports that suggested the PC-only tier had been fully eliminated and its features absorbed solely into the console-centric tiers. The continuation of this tier provides a dedicated option for PC gamers who do not use an Xbox console.

The plans are now tiered as follows (USD/month, all including PC and Cloud access):

While the standalone PC tier remains, the price hike means a 40% increase for dedicated PC players. Despite the higher cost, the tier offers superior value to the Premium console tier ($14.99/month) for users prioritizing new releases, as Premium only offers new Xbox-published games within 12 months of launch, not on day one.

The only key benefit missing from this new PC tier, compared to the top-tier Ultimate plan ($29.99/month), is the inclusion of Ubisoft+ Classics and the Fortnite Crew subscription. For PC gamers who primarily seek the core Game Pass library, day-one releases, and EA Play, the $16.49 PC tier is now the more cost-effective option over the significantly more expensive Ultimate plan.