Microsoft has kicked off October by announcing a significant price rise for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which comes just over a year after the last price rise for the subscription service.

Typically, you need to be subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Essential, Xbox Game Pass Premium or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to take part in Free Play Days. Sometimes though, the team lets all Xbox players join the party - so we'll update this once we know for sure, along with the end date (s) for these free trials.

Microsoft Corp. is upgrading its Xbox Game Pass subscription service with an expanded catalog and perks, while raising the price of the top-tier plan by 50%. “As we continue to evolve Xbox Game Pass, we’re focused on delivering more value, more benefits, and more great games across every plan,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.

Microsoft's market share in the UK console space is expected to drop even lower in 2025, as Xbox continues to prioritise Game Pass.

A new month has kicked off for Microsoft and Xbox Rewards, and alongside the news that Xbox Game Pass redemptions are apparently being taken away from the service soon, people are noticing that the points have been buffed for the Xbox Rewards service specifically!