Xbox Game Pass has faced repeated price increases since the service launched, leaving many players feeling like the subscription is creeping into “too expensive to keep” territory. Rumors have also swirled about Microsoft potentially changing how big franchises like Call of Duty fit into the Game Pass model as the company looks for ways to balance value for players with sustainable revenue.
Now, a new internal message attributed to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma suggests Microsoft knows the current approach needs work. In the memo, Sharma reportedly described Game Pass as a core part of Xbox’s value, while also acknowledging something many subscribers have been saying for a while: the current model isn’t the final version. The key takeaway is that Microsoft thinks Game Pass has become too expensive for players in the short term and that the service will likely evolve into a more flexible system over time—one that may require testing, learning, and gradual changes before it fully takes shape.
That “more flexible” phrasing is what makes this update especially interesting. It doesn’t automatically mean an outright price drop is coming tomorrow, but it strongly hints that Microsoft is rethinking the fundamentals of how Xbox Game Pass is packaged and sold. The broader challenge is clear: subscription services can be great for players who sample lots of games, but they can also reduce traditional game sales across the market. Microsoft has to find a version of Game Pass that still feels like a great deal while making long-term financial sense.
So what could a better Xbox Game Pass look like?
A lower price would obviously be welcomed, but cutting the cost alone may not solve the deeper issues. A more realistic solution might be offering more tiers with curated libraries—plans that focus on certain types of players instead of pushing everyone into one massive catalog. For example, Microsoft could introduce options built around genres, play habits, or player interests, so someone who mostly plays RPGs isn’t paying for a mountain of sports, racing, and strategy games they’ll never touch.
Another idea is a “choose your own Game Pass” approach that lets subscribers select a set number of games or categories to build a smaller, more personalized library at a price that matches what they actually use. A system like that would be complex to design and manage, but it could address one of the biggest complaints about modern subscription gaming: the overwhelming number of choices.
Right now, many subscribers only experience a small portion of what Game Pass offers because the catalog is so large. When everything is available, it’s easy for individual games—especially smaller ones—to get lost. A more focused selection could help players find titles they genuinely want to play, rather than endlessly browsing and downloading.
There’s also the issue of completion rates. With so many games at your fingertips, it’s easy to start one, play a few hours, then jump to the next new thing and never finish either. A system with fewer, more intentional choices could encourage players to stick with what they’ve started instead of bouncing between dozens of partially played games.
For now, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed exactly what changes are coming, but the memo’s message is clear: Xbox Game Pass is important, the company knows the current value equation isn’t working for everyone, and a more flexible future version of the service is on the table. If Microsoft follows through, the next evolution of Game Pass could be less about “more games” and more about “the right games at the right price.”
