Microsoft may be preparing changes to Game Pass after a leaked internal memo revealed that Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, believes the service has become too expensive for players. The comment comes after the major 2025 price hikes that pushed the Ultimate tier to $29.99 per month.
According to the leaked message, Sharma openly admitted that the current pricing model is not working as well as it should. She reportedly said that “Game Pass has become too expensive for players” and that the service now needs a “better value equation.” This suggests that Microsoft does not plan to keep the current pricing model in place for the long term.
Rather than pointing to an immediate fix, the memo appears to outline a broader long-term shift. The current version of Game Pass is reportedly not viewed as the final form of the service, with plans to gradually move toward a more “flexible system.” Such a transition is expected to take time, with testing and player response likely shaping how the new structure eventually looks.
While no official price cuts have been announced yet, there have already been talks about possible changes aimed at making Game Pass more affordable. These could include ad-supported tiers and lower-cost plans, such as the recently leaked Triton tier, which is said to include only first-party Xbox games while removing third-party titles. In addition, partnerships with major streaming platforms such as Netflix have also been rumored, which could help make the service more appealing without relying only on direct price cuts.
In related news, Microsoft may stop launching Call of Duty games on day one for Xbox Game Pass, starting with the upcoming 2026 release, as it is reportedly negatively impacting the franchise’s traditional sales revenue.
