Xbox CEO Asha Sharma recently acknowledged that Game Pass has fallen short of Microsoft’s expectations. Now, a new rumor suggests the service could look very different in 2027. The biggest possible change would be the end of day-one access to new Xbox games.
The claims came from ResetEra user Slayven and spread through X posts by Idle Sloth and InfoXbox. Microsoft has responded, but it has not confirmed the plans or ruled out changes down the road.
RUMOR | BIG CHANGES TO GAME PASS NEXT YEAR
• One service with Ads, one without:
• Ads tier will cost $12.99 a month.
• GamePass without Ads will cost $19.99 per month or $239.99 annually.
• They are reducing price by $3 because there won’t be day one new games releasing on… pic.twitter.com/hwIMmJWXVn— Idle Sloth (@IdleSloth84_) September 15, 2026
What the Rumor Claims
According to Slayven, Microsoft is considering a Game Pass plan with ads for $12.99 per month and an ad-free version for $19.99. The ad-free option would cost $3 less per month than Game Pass Ultimate does now.
A screenshot of Master Chief via Halo YouTube
The rumor describes several other options. A $15 plan would include a smaller selection of games and online multiplayer, while an $11 plan would offer online multiplayer alone. A family plan would cost an additional $6 per month. Cloud gaming could also become a separate $6 add-on, giving subscribers 25 hours of streaming each month.
But the price changes are unlikely to be what gets gamers talking. Slayven claims new Xbox games could stop coming to Game Pass on release day sometime between February and April 2027.
For many subscribers, playing major releases at launch is the whole reason they pay for Game Pass. Saving a few dollars a month might not sound like much of a deal if they have to buy those games separately or wait to play them.
Why Gamers Are Paying Attention
Microsoft has already shown that day-one access is no longer guaranteed for every major release. Earlier this year, the company lowered the price of Game Pass Ultimate and announced that future Call of Duty games would no longer join the service at launch. Instead, they are expected to arrive during the following holiday season, about a year later.
A screenshot from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024), Treyarch and Raven Software
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That change was limited to Call of Duty, but it gives subscribers a reason to take the latest rumor seriously. If Microsoft extends the approach to other Xbox games, Game Pass would serve a different purpose. Subscribers could still use it to discover older titles and play games they might otherwise skip. Anyone hoping to play the next big release immediately, however, might have to pay full price on top of the monthly fee.
The rumored cloud gaming add-on raises a similar question about value. A cheaper subscription sounds appealing until players add back the features they actually use. Someone paying $19.99 for ad-free Game Pass and another $6 for cloud streaming would spend $25.99 a month, $3 more than Ultimate currently costs. Which plan offers the better deal would depend on how each person plays.
Microsoft Responds
An Xbox spokesperson told Forbes reporter Paul Tassi that Microsoft regularly tests different Game Pass offerings and has no finalized changes to announce. The company also said games already promised for day-one release on Game Pass Ultimate are still coming. That includes Fable, which is currently expected in February 2027.
Statement I got from an Xbox spokesperson about this:
“We regularly test different Game Pass offerings and look at what works best for players in different markets. We don’t have any changes to announce today or plans that have been finalized. There are no changes to previously… https://t.co/CLLSEppdBP
— Paul Tassi (@PaulTassi) September 15, 2026
The statement addresses games Microsoft has already announced, but it leaves the bigger question unanswered. Will newly announced Xbox games still come to Game Pass on day one?
The main character in Fable – YouTube, GameSpot
Slayven has gotten some Xbox details right before, including subscription name changes and a price increase. The user has also gotten things wrong, notably a claim that PC Game Pass would be discontinued.
For now, these plans are still a rumor. Subscribers can expect Microsoft to honor its existing day-one promises, but what Game Pass will offer after that remains uncertain.
What do you think of these Xbox Game Pass rumors? Sound off and let us know!
