Microsoft
The Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) is just as insane about theXbox Game Pass pricing changesas you are , and has made it official .
In a letter filed Thursday , FTC attorney Imad Abyad write that Microsoft had not only increase prices for established tier but had created a “ degraded product ” with a new Game Pass Standard tier . This downhearted tier will be $ 15 per calendar month ( for character , the Ultimate tier costs $ 17 per calendar month at the fourth dimension of writing ) , and wo n’t provide Modern solar day - one game .
Microsoft
“ ware degradation — removing the most worthful game from Microsoft ’s new service — combine with terms increment for be users , is exactly the form of consumer harm from the fusion the FTC has alleged , ” Abyad says .
Abyad also allege that the company is doing so to exercise “ marketplace big businessman ” in response to theCall of Duty : Black Ops 6being made uncommitted on Xbox Game Pass day one .
This might sound familiar if you were following the conflict between the FTC , which was render to block theActivision Blizzard acquisition , and Microsoft . One of the fundamental talk points in the FTC ’s case was Call of Duty — specifically whether making the serial Xbox console scoop was anti - competitive against Sony , which also brought up the dealership in its arguments against the merger .
Microsoft said , however , that it had signed sight with other companies like Nintendo and Sony to provide the game on those platform . It also said the argument made short common sense as blocking it or put down the production on other services would go against give the newly accquired Microsoft property as widely approachable as possible .
The FTC has been hold an eye on Microsoft since the skill finalized in former 2023 . After the companionship lay off 1,900 employees in January , Abyad arguedthat the move controvert title it made in court . “ Microsoft reportedly has stated that the layoff were part of an ‘ execution plan ’ that would reduce ‘ areas of overlap ’ between Microsoft and Activision , which is discrepant with Microsoft ’s suggestion to this Court that the two troupe will engage independently post - merger , ” Abyad wrote . However , Microsoft allege the layoffs were pre - project before the deal went through .
Many player did n’t care the Xbox Game Pass Mary Leontyne Price hikeseither . Not only did Microsoft make its grade more complicated to parse but the new tier up remove arguably the service ’s marquee selling point — day - one games . While the changes were inevitableto diligence experts , it represents a turning point for the service . Will it continue to operate as it has , or will people cancel their subscription en masse once they bet the new Call of Duty ?
