Microsoft Cuts Xbox Game Pass Prices in U.S., But Call of Duty Won’t Launch on Service

Microsoft on Tuesday cut U.S. prices for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, but it also said future Call of Duty games will no longer be included on those subscription tiers at launch, trading cheaper monthly rates for delayed access to one of Xbox’s biggest franchises.

In an Xbox Wire post published April 21, 2026, Team Xbox said the changes take effect immediately. “Starting today, Game Pass Ultimate drops from $29.99 to $22.99 a month. PC Game Pass will also drop from $16.49 to $13.99 a month. Prices may vary by region.” Those figures are for the United States, and Microsoft said pricing may differ elsewhere.

The same announcement said Microsoft is changing how new Call of Duty releases reach the subscription service. “Beginning this year, future Call of Duty titles won’t join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. New Call of Duty games will be added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass during the following holiday season (about a year later), while existing Call of Duty titles already in the library will continue to be available.”

That means subscribers to the two main Game Pass tiers will keep access to the Call of Duty games already on the service, but they will no longer get brand-new entries in the series on release day. Microsoft said Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will still receive hundreds of games across Xbox console and PC, including current Call of Duty titles, online console multiplayer, in-game benefits and other major day-one releases.

Microsoft framed the move as a response to customer feedback. “Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes, so while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far. We’ll continue to listen and learn. Thank you for being a part of the Xbox community,” Team Xbox wrote.

The change is notable because Microsoft now controls how Call of Duty is distributed on Game Pass after completing its $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition in 2023. That deal gave the company ownership of one of the video game industry’s most valuable annual franchises and the ability to decide whether new entries would be part of its subscription offering on day one.

It also marks a reversal from Microsoft’s recent approach. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launched on Game Pass on day one in October 2024, making Tuesday’s announcement a clear shift for future titles. Rather than using Call of Duty as an immediate release-day draw for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, Microsoft is now pairing lower monthly U.S. prices with a wait of roughly a year for new entries in the series.

For subscribers, the practical change is straightforward: the monthly bill is lower starting Tuesday, but one of Xbox’s most prominent first-party franchises will arrive later than before.