Microsoft has announced price increases for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service in several countries, including South Africa. According to Kari Perez, Xbox’s head of communications, these price adjustments are aimed at aligning with local market conditions.
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In South Africa, the cost of an Xbox Game Pass subscription will rise by 7.59%, from R79 per month to R85. Meanwhile, the Game Pass Ultimate, which grants access to libraries on both Xbox and PC along with additional benefits like discounts, will increase from R119 to R129, reflecting a 7.75% hike. The Game Pass for PC, however, will maintain its current price of R79 per month.
The new pricing structure will go into effect on July 6, 2023, for new subscribers, and on August 13, 2023, for existing members.
Game Pass offers members a wide array of over 300 games that can be played as long as the subscription remains active. Microsoft recently unveiled an impressive lineup of upcoming titles during its 2023 Xbox Games Showcase, many of which will be available on the service upon release. Notable titles include Starfield, an eagerly anticipated open-world RPG from Bethesda Softworks, as well as Forza Motorsport, Avowed, and Fable, all fantasy RPGs.
It’s worth noting that despite the price increases, the new Game Pass fees remain below the initial rates Microsoft set when the service launched in South Africa back in September 2017. At that time, an Xbox Game Pass subscription was priced at R159. Game Pass Ultimate, which was introduced in 2019 and included the benefits of an Xbox Live Gold subscription, initially cost R200 per month but was later reduced to R149. The standard Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass subscriptions were revised to R99 per month. In March 2022, Microsoft quietly reduced these prices by over 20% to their current levels.
Microsoft also introduced a Friends & Family plan for Game Pass Ultimate, allowing up to five users to enjoy the benefits on their own profiles, priced at R199 per month. However, there have been no updates regarding price adjustments for this option.
