Xbox Game Pass loses millions of subscribers after 2025 price hike

Microsoft said Xbox Game Pass shed “millions of subscribers” after the service’s price was raised by up to 50 % in October 2025. Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball told The Game Business, “We have lost millions of subscribers in the span of a few months.” The subscription base, which was at least 34 million in February 2024, fell sharply, prompting a wave of cancellations on social media.

In response, the new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reversed the increase, cutting the price of Game Pass Ultimate and removing the first‑day launch of Call of Duty from the plan. Sharma said the service has “re‑launched after eight months of decline” and that the recent announcements, including Project Helixe and Forza Horizon 6 at the Xbox Games Showcase on 7 June 2026, have restored community enthusiasm.

The subscriber loss and subsequent price correction highlight the sensitivity of Xbox’s subscription model and its impact on Microsoft’s gaming revenue, which had reached roughly $5 billion in July 2025.