Microsoft’s GamePass Ultimate SKU Will Help Lower The Cost of Gaming

Microsoft’s online gaming services portfolio is continuing to grow. The company already offers Xbox Live Gold and GamePass but in the future, they will be adding an xCloud service as well as a PC GamePass option too.

Later this year, and likely at E3 or possibly sooner, Microsoft will roll out GamePass Ultimate, a new SKU that combines Gold and GamePass for a reduced price. Currently, both services run you about $10 a month before any discounts and Ultimate will cost $15 a month; saving you about $5 a month for both services.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

I heard about this new SKU a few weeks ago and Walking Cat has found more evidence that the subscription is about to arrive. We should also be hearing more about the GamePass for PC soon as well.

One thing to keep in mind, this bundle will only save you money if you are paying on a monthly basis for both services. You can often times find Xbox Live Gold on-sale if you buy an annual subscription for about $5 a month which makes this deal, a little less appealing.

But, options are always a good thing and if you like paying for these services monthly, Microsoft will now make it a bit less expensive for those that choose this option.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 13 comments

  • MattHewitt

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2019 - 11:12 am

    <p>Remember Windows Vista Ultimate Extras? That is the only thing I think of when I hear the Ultimate name being used. They should put that word in the tarnished forever bin. </p>

    • evox81

      Premium Member
      05 April, 2019 - 3:29 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#418502">In reply to MattHewitt:</a></em></blockquote><p>Don't know why you got downvoted for this… Vista Ultimate was the first thing that came to my mind too.</p><p><br></p><p>Video backgrounds and Tinker… totally worth it. ?</p>

  • gregsedwards

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2019 - 11:17 am

    <p>Yes, finally! Now, what about an Xbox family subscription?</p>

  • woelfel

    05 April, 2019 - 11:17 am

    <p>You would think that the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate bundle would include PC and xCloud…maybe Xbox 365 is actually happening.</p>

  • jaredthegeek

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2019 - 11:32 am

    <p>This is good and makes sense with all the new pushes into game streaming and what will likely be a subscription model going forward.</p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2019 - 12:17 pm

    <p>Smart decision by Microsoft. One SKU is always easier.</p>

  • Cdorf

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2019 - 2:53 pm

    <p>I'll hold out for Microsoft 365 Consumer Ultimate Edition: Give me O365, XLive, X Game Pass, and discounted MS Hardware. </p>

  • Stooks

    05 April, 2019 - 4:20 pm

    <p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Currently, both services run you about $10 a month"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Huh? Math is an important skill.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Xbox Live Gold 12 month digital card right now on Amazon is $55 or $46 at CDKEYS. Doing the math there that is $4.58 or $3.83, respectivley, per month. Last time CDkeys had a sale I got a 12 month and 3 month bundled for $49.</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

    • Elan Gabriel

      05 April, 2019 - 8:29 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#418586">In reply to Stooks:</a></em></blockquote><p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">before any discounts"</span></p><p><br></p><p>It's cheaper to pay full price for this bundle than to pay full price to both services individually. Of course if you get it on sale it might be cheaper, but you might also get this bundle on sale once it's out.</p>

      • mestiphal

        08 April, 2019 - 10:00 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#418619">In reply to egab:</a></em></blockquote><p>Retail price of Gold is $60, that's $5 a month. without any discounts</p>

  • jgraebner

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2019 - 4:32 pm

    <p>I always thought it was kind of strange that Game Pass didn't include the Gold benefits automatically.</p>

  • msd77

    11 April, 2019 - 1:29 am

    <p>price is high , how can users like us will afford it.<a href="http://www.downloadapkios.com/download-hulu-apk/&quot; target="_blank"> hulu</a> , <a href="http://www.downloadapkios.com/download-exousia-apk/&quot; target="_blank">exousia</a></p>

  • ashok88

    27 April, 2019 - 2:13 am

    <p>what is current price. <a href="http://www.downloadmodapkhub.com/download-beetv-apk-latest-version/&quot; target="_blank">beetv apk</a></p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC