If you’re a fan of Xbox or enjoy PC gaming, you know that having the Xbox Game Pass makes the experience significantly better. Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s subscription service that offers you access to hundreds of games. And if you’re a loyal fan, you’ve likely seen the recent price hike. The Ultimate Game Pass used to be $20 a month, but it’s now $10 more. Microsoft is adding more perks to the plan to balance the price increase, but it’s still a lot to pay, which is why we’ve rounded up these discounts.
There are multiple Game Pass subscriptions to choose from, but we’ve looked through them to help you choose the right one for you and your budget. If you’ve got a decent internet connection, you can even use this subscription on your phone, thanks to Microsoft’s cloud gaming tech. Our dedicated deals writer Max McHone is a prolific gamer with plenty of experience helping gamers save on their favorite hobby.
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With that, the CNET deals team has broken down the key differences between the membership tiers and rounded up the best Game Pass deals currently available to help you choose the right plan and get signed up for less. Former CNET editor Dan Ackerman called it the “best content deal in gaming,” and you can get it for even less with the best Xbox Game Pass deals we’ve posted below.
We’ll continue to update this page as bargains come and go, so be sure to check back often for the best prices available.
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Best Xbox Game Pass deals
Unlike the comparable subscriptions for PlayStation, there’s no official annual membership plan. Deals directly from Xbox turn up occasionally, but they’re usually just for new subscribers. However, new and existing subscribers can score some savings through third parties with a little digging. To help you save some cash each month, we’ve rounded up some of the best (and only) ones available right now below.
Game Pass Ultimate (1 month): $14
If you want to go one month at a time, don’t bother with Microsoft’s official pricing. CDKeys has the same Xbox Game Pass Ultimate monthly subscription available but for half off. For 33% less, you can access hundreds of games across console, PC and the cloud, along with Day 1 releases, discounts and an EA Play membership. Why pay more?
Note that this deal is non-stackable, and can only be used when there are no other memberships active on your Xbox Live account.
Game Pass Core (3 months): $22
If you don’t need all the bells and whistles of an Ultimate membership, there is also a three-month option for the Core tier. A Core subscription is typically $10 per month, but thanks to this CDKeys offer, you’ll be paying about $5 less.
Game Pass Ultimate (3 months): $68
CD Keys also has a discount on the three-month Ultimate Game Pass. You’ll save about $14 per month during the course of the three months.
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Game Pass Core vs. PC. vs. Standard vs. Ultimate
There are four Game Pass subscriptions available. To help you choose the one that’s right for you, we’ve broken down what’s included in each tier and the usual monthly cost below.
Game Pass Core
Game Pass Core stays at $10 per month, or you can save a bit with a $25 three-month subscription. It covers what was previously included with a Gold subscription, providing access to online multiplayer for console gamers. This new membership also offers access to a library of over 50 titles, including popular games like Doom Eternal and Fallout 4.
PC Game Pass
If you’re a PC gamer, PC Game Pass is still budget-friendly. It’s up from $12 to $16 per month, but it still includes access to a much larger library of hundreds of PC games and access to new games on the day they go on sale. This subscription also includes an EA Play membership, which adds a whole bunch more games to your library and provides some exclusive rewards and content for select EA titles.
Game Pass Standard
This new tier is Microsoft’s replacement for the previous Game Pass Console membership. It costs $15 per month and offers perks such as select discounts, online multiplayer and other benefits of the Console tier. It doesn’t include games released on Day 1. For a limited time you can have it for $1 for the first 14 days.
Game Pass Ultimate
Game Pass Ultimate is the best of all worlds. At $30 a month, an Ultimate subscription bundles the benefits of a Core and Standard membership. You’ll get access to the entire Game Pass library on your console, PC and mobile device, including access to select titles on Day 1, and you’ll have the ability to participate in online multiplayer.
Note, this price has recently increased from $20 to $30.
You’ll also get perks like exclusive offers and in-game content, and it includes the EA Play subscription that you get with the PC membership. Like many people, our reviewer called Game Pass Ultimate the “best content deal in gaming” and it’s the best option out there for all-around gamers who don’t want to compromise.
How we choose Game Pass deals at CNET
Savings on Xbox gaming subscriptions can be pretty tough to come by. To help you get signed up for less, we scout the best deals being offered by Microsoft directly, as well as trusted third-party retailers like CDKeys. We evaluate the membership tier, subscription length and discount to help you get the best monthly price on the plan that works best for you.
Though a Game Pass Ultimate subscription is the most expensive option at $20 per month, our reviewer called it the “best content deal in gaming.” Having access to online multiplayer and a huge library of older titles is a great benefit, but the real value is being able to play new games as soon as they’re released. Considering many of these titles retail for $60–$70, it’s easy to get your money’s worth.
Microsoft occasionally offers deals for new members, so you should check the Game Pass home page if you’re a first-time subscriber. If there aren’t any deals available there, or you already have a Game Pass subscription, then CDKeys is your best option. It’s one of the only third-party retailers we trust for subscription deals, and it consistently has discounted Xbox memberships available. While they’re not nearly as frequent, Woot and StackSocial occasionally offer deals as well.
A Game Pass subscription is not a requirement for Xbox gamers, and there are hundreds of titles you can play without one. However, you will need a membership if you want to participate in online multiplayer. Access to online play is included in all tiers, starting at $10 per month for a Core membership.
The short answer is yes, Microsoft does allow you to stack multiple Game Pass subscriptions. Essentially, that means that you can purchase and add multiple discounted subscriptions to your account and get months (or years) of access for less. Just note that Microsoft caps prepaid subscriptions at 36 months total, after which any additional months you try to add to your account will not be credited.
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What is the best Game Pass deal right now?
You can score a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Core for just $22 at CDKeys. That saves you about $5 per month over the regular price.
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