Some former Xbox Game Pass subscribers are reportedly being offered discounted rates to return to Ultimate, with prices varying from one account to another. Xbox Game Pass currently offers four subscription tiers, with Ultimate normally costing $22.99 per month in the United States and including a library of more than 500 games across console, PC, and other supported devices.
Microsoft recently lowered the standard price of Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 in April 2026, making a full year at the normal monthly rate cost $275.88 before tax. The service recently trimmed day-one Call of Duty releases from its offerings, but still includes plenty of launch day releases, cloud gaming, EA Play, Fortnite Crew, and Ubisoft+ Classics. Despite that recent price reduction, Microsoft now appears to be offering even lower promotional Ultimate rates for select accounts.
Xbox Game Pass May Be Offering Different Prices to Different Users
Reddit user Synthlov3r shared an offer that lets them subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate for $16.09 per month for the next 12 months, which the user said they will take. That comes to $193.08 across the promotional period, saving $82.80 compared with paying the standard monthly rate for a year. Although the Reddit post calls it an annual subscription, the deal still bills $16.09 each month rather than charging the full year upfront. At the same time, other users reported different prices, including an offer of around $18 per month, while some accounts received no discount. Interestingly, another commenter who said they already subscribe to Ultimate reported being shown a $20-per-month offer for 12 months.
The reports suggest Microsoft may be changing promotional Game Pass pricing by account, although it remains unclear what determines which offer a user sees. Inactive accounts appear to be among those receiving discounts, but at least one existing subscriber also reported seeing a reduced rate. That could benefit Microsoft even at a lower monthly price if the offer encourages someone who normally subscribes for only a few months to maintain Ultimate for an entire year. However, Microsoft has not publicly explained who qualifies, whether previous subscription history affects the rate, or why different users are apparently being offered different prices. The available reports therefore point toward a targeted Xbox subscription experiment rather than a new price available to everyone.
The varying offers appear to be an example of segmented promotional pricing rather than a complete change to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s standard cost. Microsoft still advertises Ultimate at $22.99 per month, while select accounts seem to be showing temporary discounts below that rate. What determines those offers remains unclear, especially since both inactive and current subscribers have reported seeing different prices. Until Microsoft explains how the promotions are assigned, the differences appear to reflect account-specific discounts rather than full-on dynamic pricing.
The lowest reported offer works out to roughly 30 percent below the regular monthly price, which is a substantial difference for someone willing to keep Ultimate for a full year. Reddit responses show that some users find the discounted rate much more attractive, although others remain unconvinced by the service’s current value. Microsoft has already adjusted Xbox Game Pass pricing and benefits several times in 2026, and personalized comeback offers would give it another way to experiment without lowering the advertised price for everyone. For now, anyone considering returning to Game Pass may want to check their account first, since the price waiting for one former subscriber apparently may not be the same one offered to another.
