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After the Xbox Game Pass price hike, is it time to cancel and start buying games again?

by admin October 5, 2025

Hello and welcome to another entry in our “The Big Question” series, in which we present an argument to you, the Eurogamer community, for further interrogation. This week: After the Xbox Game Pass price hike, is it time to cancel and start buying games again?

What’s all this about? Well, if you didn’t see the news from earlier in the week, Xbox has increased the price of its Game Pass offerings. The top-tier, Game Pass Ultimate now costs a not-insignificant £22.99 a month or about £276 a year! I’ve already commented on how an eventual Game Pass demise might be bad for game discovery, for those who use the service that way, and today we’re asking if it’s time to wave bye bye to Game Pass and start buying games again. Of course, there might also be a middle ground, if anyone is able to see nuance in a topic (unlikely, this is the internet!).

Today, I’m confused as I struggle to weigh up the true value proposition of Game Pass.

No one can tell you what value is, but there’s no denying Game Pass Ultimate is now more expensive than the competition

£23 is a lot of money. Of course, this is somewhat relative, and you might argue that if you are someone with a £500 a month car lease, a £60 phone contract, and £40 a month sub to an artisanal cake delivery company, that actually it’s not much, really – but it is. In the world of entertainment subscriptions it’s a lot.

Netflix Premium, the most expensive tier offered by any streaming TV/Film streaming service, is £18.99 a month. Game Pass Ultimate is more expensive. PlayStation Plus Premium, the high-end option for PlayStation users, is £13.49 a month or £120 a year, which is a lot cheaper than Game Pass Ultimate. So, then you must look at the value, which is almost impossible to say anything definitive on as everyone is different – where I might see a smart addition to the service, others will see a way to charge more for something they don’t want.

For me, I do use the EA Play games as they get added to the catalogue, and I was subscribed to this separately before it was added to Game Pass Ultimate. I also will absolutely get my money’s worth from the Fortnite Crew perk that my son has been desperate for since Epic introduced it. Do I also want Day One Xbox published games? Yes, I do, and it’s probably my number one reason for preferring Game Pass to rival services. Better streaming quality for games playing via the Cloud? Maybe – the jury is still out on how good streaming has become.

Watch on YouTube

Is this enough to pay more than double the £11 for Game Pass Premium or eat the cost of a Burger King meal deal on top of the £13.49 for Sony’s best offering? Incidentally, GP Premium currently lists 373 games, PS Plus Premium (including classic games) is at about 550, and GP Ultimate offers 838. Quality counts for more, here, I’d argue, but there’s certainly some more value on display.

That’s a whole lot of talk without actually making any statements about my future with Game Pass. The recurring billing elephant in the room, and let’s lower our voices a little, is the fact that you don’t have to pay £22.99 a month for Game Pass Ultimate. Just yesterday I added a year to my membership for £135 via a proper UK games retailer that is widely used. No doubt this will increase somewhat in the near future, but I very much doubt I’ll ever pay the full price.

Do I think I’ll cancel Game Pass, then, and switch to buying games? It might shock you to hear it, but I already buy plenty of games. Not many Xbox games, but 10+ a year across Switch, PS5, and PC. I don’t think I’m going to cancel Game Pass and start buying Xbox games again as the service gives me and my family comparatively cheap access to a wide variety of games. It’s also just easy. The games in Game Pass are the games we have on Xbox – play all that take our fancy, and don’t worry about all the rest. I’ve always been quite tight (careful, is perhaps a better term) with money, and I’m not averse to making spreadsheets or performing some scrap paper maths, and £20 I can just file away – that’s my spending on Xbox, done, nice and neat.

-Tom O

The big question, then: After the Xbox Game Pass price hike, is it time to cancel and start buying games again?

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October 5, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

ICYMI: the week’s 7 biggest tech stories from Xbox Game Pass’ price hike to foldable iPhone teasers

by admin October 4, 2025

This week has rounded off September, or Tech-tember as we call it, with the last few events of the month, from Amazon to Google’s big hardware and software reveals.

We also watched the internet implode as Xbox Game Pass got a major price hike, leading many to question if the subscription is still a good deal for them.

To catch up on all of this and more, scroll down for our recap of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories.

1. Samsung teased the foldable iPhone

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

For ICYMI, we don’t normally include reports based on leaks and speculation, as while they can be right on the money, they can also be way off the mark – even from often reliable sources. We’re making an exception here as Samsung Display’s president Lee Cheong has said that the company is preparing to mass produce foldable phone panels for a North American client, and only one company comes to mind as this mysterious buyer: Apple.

That’s because the long-awaited foldable iPhone is rumored to be launching next year, and Samsung Display has long been making its other iPhone screens.

We’ve heard numerous rumors about what the foldable iPhone might look like, but expect something thin – it might even be thinner than the 5.6mm iPhone Air when unfolded. Pricing-wise, the most recent leaked price we’ve heard is $1,999 (around £1,500 / AU$3,050).

(Image credit: Meta)

The much-hyped Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are finally available to the public in the US, and you can even book a demo to give them a whirl.

This wearable is essentially Meta’s existing Ray-Ban smart glasses with a screen attached, offering additional functionality such as on-screen navigation, notification pop-ups, and even support for video calls.

But with pairs starting at $799, you probably want to try them before you buy them. That’s why, using Meta’s official scheduler page, you can find a retailer near you offering 25-minute demos. Just be prepared to wait a while, as demos are already booked up for months – although as more stores offer the specs and roll them out to more regions, it should become easier to book a demo slot.

3. We judged an AI ‘actress’

(Image credit: Xicoia)

Tilly Norwood is an AI ‘actress’ from “the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) talent studio,” Xicoia, and she burst onto the scene via social media to look for agent representation.

5. Amazon announced new hardware

(Image credit: Amazon)

On Tuesday, Amazon held a huge hardware event in New York, and we were right there in the audience, bringing you the full lowdown on every device as it was announced.

Some of the highlights included the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which feels just like writing on paper, integrates with OneDrive and Google Docs, new Echo smart speakers and smart displays, three new Fire TVs, and updated Ring cameras and doorbells.

Everything is infused with AI courtesy of Alexa+, and we were able to get our hands (and ears) on everything to bring you our first impressions as soon as the presentations were over.

6. Google Home got an AI update

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Google’s smart home tech is finally set to get the much-anticipated Gemini update, which will bring more conversational interactions, improved assistance for setting up your automations, and better object detection for your smart cameras.

Unfortunately, for the best features, you’ll need to start paying for a Google Home Premium subscription – yours for $10 a month or $100 a year (the Standard tier), or $20 a month or $200 a year (the Advanced tier).

The good news is you won’t need to upgrade to the new Google Home Speaker (though you can if you want), as the update will be supported by all of Google’s home tech launched in the last decade.

7. Xbox Game Pass got a price hike

(Image credit: Xbox)

Microsoft set the internet on fire by announcing big changes coming to Xbox Game Pass. That is that a top-tier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription now costs $29.99 / £22.99 / AU$35.95.

This means that a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – at $359.88 – costs only a little less than an Xbox Series S – with its recently increased $379.99 price.

Now, Ultimate does come with some useful benefits. It now includes a Fortnite Crew membership (which nets you skins, 1,000 V-Bucks per month, and the Battle Pass), Ubisoft+ Classics (curated classic Ubisoft games), and shorter wait times and 1440p resolution when streaming.

That said, many gamers haven’t taken this news well, with the page players would use to cancel their subscriptions crashing. Yikes! Don’t worry completely about the price rise, as you can still get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $19.99 per month for now – while stock lasts.

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October 4, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

The Internet Reacts To The Big Xbox Game Pass Price Hike

by admin October 1, 2025

Because raising prices for its console wasn’t enough, Xbox is also raising the price of its Xbox Game Pass subscription by a whopping 50 percent. The service, which gives people access to a large library of games for a monthly fee, has long been considered one of the best deals in gaming, especially for people who don’t want to buy dozens of games a year. You could theoretically just subscribe to Game Pass and have something new to play every month as games rotate in and out of its catalog. Well, today Microsoft announced it would be raising the price for the Ultimate tier from $20 to $30 a month.

Along with the hefty price increase, the Ultimate tier is getting a lot of new games and perks, including the Ubisoft+ catalog and a Fortnite crew membership that gives you battle pass access and in-game currency every month. The other tiers are also going up in price, and will now include cloud gaming access and an expanded library. The PC Game Pass package, however, is going up from $12 to $16.50 with no new perks. Xbox frames this as a move toward flexibility and choice, but ultimately, Game Pass’ claim to fame has always been its affordability, and now that its price is going up, the internet has feelings and jokes loaded up.

When I said i wanted the 360 era back, I didn’t mean $360 a year.

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) October 1, 2025

From the people that brought you the $650 five-year-old Xbox Series X and the $1000 handheld gaming PC, comes…

$30 per month for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! WHO’S EXCITED??? /s

We went from $17 to $30 in 14 months, LOL.https://t.co/wcud6Grgly

— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) October 1, 2025

https://t.co/AFYM0WtIlF pic.twitter.com/xtvsIz6BWG

— Puertorock77 (@Puertorock77_) September 30, 2025

there’s still no annual subscription for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. That means it’s $360 a year, which is more than the Xbox Series S ($300) when it first launched 🤯

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 1, 2025

The page to cancel Game Pass subscriptions is broken already, incredible https://t.co/qTWLQRWRBs pic.twitter.com/yZjRCMGosk

— Sam (@_sunday_rain_) October 1, 2025

Xbox Game Pass for 30 bucks? Are they insane? These price hikes on game pass, consoles, and games themselves are just pricing people OUT of gaming. No more “I’ll give it a try” because of these prices. Absolutely wild to see how bad it’s become, and prices will never go down.

— Kala Elizabeth (@kalaelizabeth) October 1, 2025

Xbox gamers realising they might actually have to buy games now pic.twitter.com/LqVlzxPpsa

— Yokio (@ItsNewYokio) October 1, 2025

The Xbox brand has gotten a lot more expensive in just the past few weeks, with the company raising the prices of Xbox Series X/S consoles and announcing that the most powerful version of the Rog Ally X handheld will cost a staggering $1000. If that price wasn’t high enough, scalpers are already trying to sell the thing for twice as much, despite the handheld being readily available elsewhere.

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October 1, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

U.S. Xbox fans hit with another hardware price hike just four months after the last increase

by admin September 20, 2025

Xbox consoles are about to become more expensive in the United States. Again.

The hike comes just months after Microsoft raised prices of its products in May, when the Xbox Series S and X increased by between $80 and $130, depending on the spec. While May’s cost hike was felt across the world, this time the increase is limited to the U.S., with Microsoft confirming: “Pricing in countries outside the U.S. remains the same”.

The prices for controllers, headsets, and products “in all other markets” also remain as they were.

Xbox + AMD: Powering the Next Generation of Xbox.Watch on YouTube

Here’s how the price changes impact the Xbox console range in the U.S. when they go live on 3rd October:

Xbox Series S 512: $399.99 (up $20 from $379.99)
Xbox Series S 1TB: $449.99 (up $20 from $429.99)
Xbox Series X Digital: $599.99 (up $50 from $549.99)
Xbox Series X: $649.99 (up $50 from $599.99)
Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition: $799.99 (up $70 from $729.99)

“Beginning on 3rd October, we will update the recommended retailer pricing for Series S and Series X consoles in the United States due to changes in the macroeconomic environment,” Microsoft explained.

“We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and providing value for Xbox players.”

Microsoft did not justify the price rise, but it’s possible the current U.S. administration’s import tariffs have had some bearing. That said, the company reported an 18 percent boost in profits at its last earnings call, and a 13 percent increase across its Xbox business.

If recent reports are true, we likely won’t be seeing Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox console until 2027 at the earliest. But that hasn’t stopped the company from teasing a couple of details as it announced a partnership with AMD to co-engineer the hardware.

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September 20, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Xbox Series S (512GB, Controller Included) Is Back at a Low Price on Amazon Despite Microsoft’s Price Hike

by admin September 5, 2025

Happy Silksong Weekend to all who celebrate. If you’re not playing the most anticipated game of the decade right now, I can only imagine it’s because you don’t own any gaming console or PC to play it on. So, here! Let me help you. The Xbox Series S is a wonderful option for an entry-level game system and right now it happens to be on sale. It’s MSRP is $380, but for a limited time, you can grab one for 13% off at just $329.

Now for the elephant in the room… Back when the Xbox Series X and Series S first launched in 2020, the latter of which was priced at just $300. A few months back, Microsoft made and announcement confirming plans to raise the price of its consoles and games. The Xbox Series S went up by $80 to $380. So while this discount brings console down lower than the current list price, this Series S is still $29 more than it had been for five years (ignoring any other discounts over that time). It stinks, but it is what it is.

See at Amazon

All-Digital Gaming Console

This model comes with a controller and hold 512GB. It’s disc-free so you’ll be downloading all your games onto that internal storage or onto an external SSD which you can purchase separately. It may not have 4K gaming, but it can still produce higher than standard HD resolution at 1440p. Plus, it’s got HDR support to ensure that the darks look dark and the bright colors pop. It can handle refresh rates of up to 120FPS so performance is still pretty great.

Like it’s counterpart, the Xbox Series X, this console has a feature called Quick Resume. No longer do you need to worry about finding a save point when you want switch to a different game. You can suspend your gameplay in the background, hop into something else, then return to it later right where you left off. My apologies to any game dev who works on title screens because I only ever see those once.

Quick Resume is possible because of the Xbox Velocity Architecture, which also allows for super-fast load times.

You can enjoy streaming your favorite TV shows and movies right on the Xbox Series S. Download apps like YouTube, Netflix, HBO Max. While your games are locked to 1440p, you can still stream video from Disney+, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more in full 4K.

For a limited time, the Xbox Series S is down to just $329.

See at Amazon

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September 5, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Time to Save Up: iPhone 17 Pro Price Hike Appears Imminent, Says New Report

by admin August 30, 2025

The iPhone 16 series dropped last year with the same US prices as the iPhone 15 series. But the iPhone 17 might come with the first price increase in years.

James Martin/CNET

Apple will announce new iPhone 17 phones at its annual fall event on Sept. 9, showing off new features of iOS 26, possible camera updates and new case designs, all leading up to a dramatic price reveal. This year, that figure could be $50 higher for the iPhone 17 Pro models, based on a rumor that surfaced on the Chinese social media site Weibo, from a user named Instant Digital (Setsuna Digital).

The rumored price jump corroborates an earlier prediction from Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, who says that the iPhone 17 Air (17 Slim), 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will get a $50 price increase to offset the higher costs of components and tariffs, as reported by Business Insider. He didn’t mention the regular iPhone 17 getting a price increase. If true, that would mean that the starting prices for the iPhone 17 series will be:

iPhone 17: $829
iPhone 17 Air: $979
iPhone 17 Pro: $1,049
iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,249

Instant Digital also thinks that the baseline iPhone 17 Pro will come with 256GB of storage instead of 128GB like the iPhone 16 Pro.

Since what President Donald Trump touted as “Liberation Day,” the possible effect of tariffs on the iPhone’s price has been widely discussed. And yet iPhone prices have remained the same so far this year.

This news follows a May report by The Wall Street Journal that Apple is considering a price spike and could attribute it to new and updated features instead of tariffs. In any case, the launch of the rumored iPhone 17 will likely come with a higher price, no matter what Trump says or does.

Apple is the third-largest company in the US, and most of its products are manufactured in China. The iPhone’s ubiquity has made it a symbol for the ongoing uncertainty of the US economy and politics. But even without higher component costs or tariffs, the iPhone has been overdue for a price increase. The last one was five years ago.

From left: the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. Regardless of everything that’s occurred in 2025, the price of the phones has remained the same.

James Martin/CNET

Historically, that makes it the longest stretch of time Apple has gone without a price increase since the five-year period between the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 7, which ended with a costlier iPhone 8. We can learn a lot by looking at how Apple has handled earlier price hikes (and a one-time drop) and what that means for the iPhone 17.

To figure out the likelihood of a price increase, I grouped iPhone models into a few categories: the standard, the flagships and the behemoths. The standard includes models like the original iPhone, the iPhone 8, the iPhone XR and the iPhone 16. The flagships include variants like the iPhone X, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. The behemoth’s designation is for phones like the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone XS Max and iPhone 16 Pro Max. (Other versions that Apple sold, like the iPhone 5C, the SE series, the iPhone Mini line and the current iPhone Plus line, don’t factor into this analysis.) Also, I use the US starting price for each iPhone before any carrier discounts are applied.

Let’s dive in.

Standard iPhone prices

The iPhone 16 launched in 2025 with a starting price of $829, the same as the iPhone 12 did in 2020.

James Martin/CNET

Since its debut in 2007, the standard iPhone has had four price increases and one correction. Many folks might remember paying $199 for the original iPhone, but in reality, the phone cost $499 off-contract. In 2008, Apple raised the price $100 with the launch of the iPhone 3G to $599, where it would stay for four years. Then, in 2012, the iPhone 5 was introduced with a taller, 4-inch screen and a higher $649 price tag.

Fast-forward to 2017, the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and the iPhone 8 debuted at a cost of $699, a $50 increase. Every year between 2017 and 2019, the price for the standard iPhone changed. In 2018, the iPhone XR launched at $749. The following year, the iPhone 11 came out, and the price dropped back to $699. And what makes that drop interesting is that the iPhone 11 was the first standard Apple phone with two rear cameras: a wide-angle and ultrawide. Up till then, all other standard iPhone models had only a single rear camera. From 2007 to 2019, when Apple increased prices, it was in $50 increments, except between the first and second iPhone models.

Then 2020 happened. It was a wild year for the iPhone and everyone because of the pandemic. But Apple managed to launch the iPhone 12, which cost $829, marking the largest increase for the standard iPhone: $130. Subsequent models all had the same price: The iPhone 13, 14, 15 and 16 all cost $829.

If Apple follows its previous pattern, then the standard iPhone is due for a price increase. The last increase was in 2020, five years ago, and Apple has never gone six years without a price hike on the standard model. But will the company slowly increase the price over a few years, like it did between the iPhone 7, 8 and XR? Or will it go all in like it did with the iPhone 12?

Apple’s most popular product is the standard iPhone, and it’s safe to expect that the iPhone 17 will cost more (and would have even if Trump hadn’t been elected). Now, we just need to wonder how much tariffs and politics might drive the price up even more.

The flagship: iPhone Pro model prices

The iPhone 16 Pro came out in 2024 with a starting price of $999, the same as the 2017 iPhone X.

James Martin/CNET

Apple hasn’t always had an iPhone Pro variant, but it did starting in 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X, which had a starting price of $999. The phone debuted next to the $699 iPhone 8, making the 8’s $50 increase seem like nothing.

But here’s where things get interesting. Apple has never raised the price on the iPhone Pro model. The iPhone X, XS, 11 Pro, 12 Pro, 13 Pro, 14 Pro, 15 Pro and 16 Pro all cost $999. That’s eight years without a price increase!

What’s even more shocking is when you correct for inflation: the 2017 iPhone X’s $999 price would be $1,298 in 2025, according to the Consumer Price Index Inflation calculator. The iPhone Pro is overdue for a price hike, and I expect the iPhone 17 Pro to cost more.

The behemoths: iPhone Plus, Max and Pro Max prices

The iPhone 16 Pro (left) and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

James Martin/CNET

Since 2014, Apple has sold a big version of the iPhone. Some of these were nothing more than a larger version of the standard iPhone with a bigger screen and battery, as well as some minor differences, like the iPhone 6 Plus having optical image stabilization on its camera while the iPhone 6 didn’t. But beginning with the iPhone 7 Plus, the larger version started having “pro” features, like a second rear camera and portrait mode.

In terms of pricing, the iPhone 6 Plus debuted at $749, which was $100 more than the iPhone 6. And that $749 price stuck around for the iPhone 6S Plus and 7 Plus. In 2017, Apple had three iPhone models: the $699 iPhone 8, the $749 iPhone 8 Plus (a $50 increase from the 7 Plus) and the $999 iPhone X.

In 2018, Apple launched the $1,099 iPhone XS Max, which I consider the true successor to the initial iPhone Plus line. That means the big iPhone got a $350 increase in a single year, the largest Apple has ever made. I admit some people might not think the XS Max is a follow-up to the Plus and would deem it an entirely new iPhone variant. But this is my commentary.

Like the iPhone Pro, the Max and Pro Max would have the same price for years. In 2023, Apple raised the barrier of entry for the Pro Max model and didn’t offer a $1,099 version of the iPhone 15 Pro Max with 128GB of storage. Instead, you had to pay $1,199 for the 256GB variant, which technically cost the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max with 256GB of storage.

The iPhone 17 and 17 Pro’s prices

No one knows how much the rumored iPhone 17 will cost, except Apple.

Apple/Viva Tung/CNET

Even without tariffs, it’s safe to assume that the iPhone 17 lineup’s prices will be higher for some models. But when you factor in everything that’s happened this year, it’s hard to gauge just how much the price will go up and whether that’ll affect just one or two models, or apply across the entire iPhone 17 line.

This year, Apple raised the price on its most affordable model. Although it lacks the SE branding of the previous low-cost iPhone, the iPhone 16E came with a $599 price tag, $170 more than the $429 iPhone SE (2022).

Apple doesn’t talk about unreleased products or their prices. But we do have an unusual-for-Apple clue as to how these tariffs could affect the company.

“Assuming the current global tariff rates, policies and applications do not change for the balance of the quarter and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add $900 million to our costs,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said during a quarterly earnings call on May 1.

Obviously, that $900 million number wasn’t just for the iPhone but for all Apple products. And that was three weeks before Trump threatened another tariff aimed purely at the iPhone. But $900 million is a lot for any company to swallow, and eventually, that added cost will need to be recouped. That usually means higher prices, even if Trump pressures Apple to attribute the increase to “new designs and features.”

If there’s one thing for certain, we’ll know exactly what those prices will be when Apple launches the next generation of iPhone models at its September event.

Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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August 30, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

PS5 gets a price hike in the US and none of the models are safe

by admin August 20, 2025

Sony has announced that it is raising the price of the PS5 in the US. The price increase of $50 affects all PS5 models and will come into effect from 21st August.

Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment. As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on August 21.

The updated recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. are as follows:

PlayStation 5 – $549.99
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – $499.99
PlayStation 5 Pro – $749.99

Sony stated that its prices for PS54 accessories are unchanged, and that there are no price changes to announce for additional markets.

The PS5 has already seen price rises in other markets, with the UK getting its own hike back in April this year. Australia and New Zealand also got the news back then that they’d have to pay more to own a PS5.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.

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August 20, 2025 0 comments