'Game Pass has become too expensive for players' says leaked memo as Xbox CEO plans to 'evolve' the service

Date:
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:55 +0000

Description:
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has admitted that the company's Game Pass subscription service has become "too expensive" for players.

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Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has reportedly admitted that Xbox Game Pass is "too expensive" A leaked memo reveals that Sharma wants to evolve the service Sharma says, "Its also clear that the current model isnt the final one" Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has admitted that the company's Game Pass subscription
service has become "too expensive" for players.

That's according to a leaked memo to employees obtained and reported on by
The Verge , in which Sharma said Xbox Game Pass is now too pricey for members and shared a brief plan for how she aims to change things. "Game Pass is central to gaming value on Xbox. Its also clear that the current model isnt the final one," Sharma wrote. Article continues below You may like The
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"Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system, which will take time to test and learn around."

Microsoft increased the price of Game Pass across all subscription tiers in October. Now, Ultimate costs $29.99 / 22.99 per month, up from $19.99 / 14.99 per month. There's also no option for a 12-month subscription, which would otherwise offer the plan at a cheaper cost.

The Verge reported that one of the reasons for the price hike was the
decision to feature Call of Duty on the service, which occurred ahead of the launch of Black Ops 7 in November 2025.

In February, it was reported that the cost may go up once more because Microsoft is considering combining Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscription tiers , which could mean some users would pay more each month. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our
trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Sharma officially stepped into the Xbox Gaming CEO role following Phil Spencer's retirement earlier this year . At the time, she shared a message to fans, promising "the return of Xbox", and later clarified that she wants to take the brand back to its roots .

"The spirit of 'Return to Xbox' is about returning to the spirit that the
team was founded on," Sharma said. "It's that spirit of surprise, it's the spirit of building something nobody else was willing to try." The best Xbox controllers Our top picks for the best Xbox gamepads

Read our full guide to the best Xbox controllers 1. Best overall: Xbox Wireless Controller 2. Best budget: 8BitDo Pro 2 3. Best premium: Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 4. Best wired: GameSir Kaleid Follow TechRadar on Google
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/game-pass-has-become-too-expensive-for-player s-says-leaked-memo-as-xbox-ceo-plans-to-evolve-the-service


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