Overview
- Microsoft’s new Xbox chief Asha Sharma told staff in a memo, reported Monday by The Verge, that Game Pass has become too expensive and will evolve into a more flexible system, with deeper internal talks next week.
- Xbox raised Game Pass Ultimate to $29.99 per month in October 2025, and multiple outlets link that jump to the cost of adding Call of Duty as a launch-day benefit.
- Bloomberg reporting cited by several sites says Microsoft gave up more than $300 million in Call of Duty sales after bringing the series to Game Pass, underscoring the tradeoff between subscription value and unit sales.
- Windows Central’s Jez Corden suggested this year’s Call of Duty might skip Day One on Game Pass, though outlets stress the claim is unconfirmed and Microsoft and Activision have not announced any change.
- Reporting and datamining point to potential new Game Pass tiers, codenamed Triton and Duet, and to cheaper or ad‑supported options, with recent coverage also noting Xbox’s talks about possible bundles with Netflix.