Xbox Game Pass Price Hike Sparks Outcry From Co-Founder, Raises questions About Future Direction
Seattle, WA – A notable price increase for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – jumping from $19.99 to $29.99 per month,effectively a 50% hike – has ignited controversy amongst gamers and even drawn criticism from one of the platform’s original architects. The new annual cost of $360 is now nearing the retail price of an Xbox Series S console, prompting concerns about the service’s value proposition.
The price adjustment has particularly angered Laura Fryer, a founding member of the Xbox team. Fryer voiced her concerns in a recently published YouTube video, sharply criticizing current leadership for appearing “out of touch” and fostering a “yes” culture within Microsoft that she believes is alienating loyal fans. She described the price increase as a “betrayal,” especially given the substantial revenue Game pass has already generated.
“Xbox wasn’t created to sell hardware,” Fryer emphasized. “It was about creating a closed loop where Xbox owned the customer relationship and the developer relationship. It was bigger than just a product.”
Fryer’s comments highlight a fundamental shift in the Xbox vision. She recalls the original intent being to build a comprehensive ecosystem connecting players and developers directly, rather than simply pushing console sales.
Currently, Fryer admits uncertainty about the company’s trajectory. She observes a growing investment in Cloud Gaming, possibly at the expense of hardware focus. However, she also suggests the possibility of misguided decisions stemming from a lack of market understanding. “I can’t say without a doubt where this is going,” Fryer stated.”it seems like xbox is moving into Cloud Gaming and moving away from hardware. But it could also be that they’re just incompetent, they don’t understand what they’re doing and they’re trying things out.”
The price increase isn’t being rolled out universally. Microsoft has confirmed the changes primarily affect new subscribers in Germany, Ireland, South korea, Poland, and India. Existing subscribers in these regions will maintain their current pricing provided that their subscriptions auto-renew. However, cancellation and resubscription will trigger the new, higher rate. The US and UK are already seeing the price increase applied to all subscribers.
Watch Laura Fryer’s full commentary on YouTube
SEO Keywords: Xbox Game Pass,Game pass ultimate,Xbox,Microsoft,Laura Fryer,Cloud Gaming,Xbox Series S,Gaming News,Video Game Subscription,Price Increase.
