Microsoft has announced significant price reductions for its Game Pass service, with the Ultimate subscription now costing $22.99 per month in the US—down from $29.99. However, subscribers will no longer enjoy launch-day access to Activision's Call of Duty series.

The limited PC Game Pass will also drop to $13.99 a month, down from $16.49. New Call of Duty games will not be available on Game Pass until the upcoming holiday season, though previous titles remain accessible to subscribers.

Microsoft claims these changes are due to making Game Pass more affordable for players, with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stating that 'Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players.' The company cited an internal memo leak as a precursor to this decision.

The price hikes for the service have been steady since its launch in 2017. In October last year, Game Pass Ultimate saw a dramatic increase of 50%. Despite these increases, the offering has expanded to include over 500 console games and additional services like Ubisoft+ Classics and EA Play.

The move reflects broader industry trends as streaming and subscription models become more prevalent in gaming. Whether this split strategy works for Microsoft remains to be seen, but it certainly signals a new era of cost-conscious gaming.