The signal comes from within, and it directly calls into question Xbox’s pricing policy. In a leaked memo, Asha Sharma recognizes that the in-house subscription has become too expensive for players.
Game Pass at a price level that is difficult to defend
The Verge reports that Microsoft’s new head of gaming, Asha Sharma, told employees that Game Pass has become too expensive for gamers and that we need to find a “better value equation”. She would also have recalled that the service remains central to Xbox’s proposal, while specifying that the current formula is not definitive.
The sensitive point concerns the short term. Sharma would have recognized that the price is now a problem for users, while Microsoft wants to move towards a more flexible offer over time.
This position comes after the increase applied last year to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which rose to €26.99 per month. This represented a 50% increase, part of a broader revamp of the Game Pass lineup.
Call of Duty complicates the economic equation
The Verge also links this increase to Microsoft’s decision to add Call of Duty in the Game Pass catalog in 2024. Internally, the subject would have been debated, with a clear fear: access by subscription could cut into sales at full price.
The latest rumors also suggest a withdrawal of these titles from certain levels to lower the price. Other rumors also mention a Game Pass and Netflix bundle.
For Microsoft, the problem is not just pricing. If the subscription becomes too expensive to support the addition of major licenses like Call of Duty, the publisher will have to choose between more aggressive segmentation, less homogeneous catalog or profitability under pressure, with a direct impact on the perception of value on the player side.
Source : VideoCardz
