It’s no secret that Microsoft has spent the last few years pushing for players to joinXbox Game Pass. With its line-up of incredible titles, alongside the Cloud Gaming function that was added to the Ultimate tier, Game Pass is being advertised as the easiest and most accessible way for players to experience the best gaming has to offer. The service clearly appeals to a range of players, with millions using Game Pass on a monthly basis.
That success has only grown thanks to the phenomenal updates to Game Pass in 2024. The number of new games added to the service, including a handful of major titles being available at launch, has helped to broaden the appeal of Game Pass to a wide range of players. However,this incredible performance may have come at a price, as Microsoft faces a new challenge to maintain that momentum in 2025. And, unfortunately, it might be a challenge that Microsoft can’t overcome.
A Killer End To A Strong Year
It might be hard to believe the success Game Pass has seen in 2024, considering some of the more controversial changes introduced. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a major restructure of the Game Pass tiers, replacing the Game Pass for Consoles tier with a Standard tier that omitted access to day one releases, while also introducingmajor price hikesacross several tiers,setting the premium Ultimate tier to a whopping $19.99 per month. This major change was certainly a setback for the service, as Game Pass became less of a viable purchase to many.
Luckily, Microsoft compensated for the price hike with some of the biggest new additions seen to Game Pass in its history.The last 3 months alone have seenCall of Duty: Black Ops 6,STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl,andIndiana Jones & The Great Circle, some of the most highly-anticipated titles of the year, make their way to Game Pass on day one. Alongside many other additions across 2024, these releases were not only a welcome addition to the service but a necessity to assure players that they would still be offered major titles on Game Pass, making the price hike easier to digest.
2025 Doesn’t Have The Same Exciting Releases For Xbox
Some Of The Biggest Titles Are Heading Elsewhere
10 Upcoming Xbox Exclusives That Could Come To PS5
With the new Indiana Jones game coming to PlayStation 5, there is a handful of other Xbox-exclusive games that might also make the transition.
Nintendo’s successor to the Switch is also expected in 2025, so more major Nintendo exclusives are likely on the horizon.
