Xbox Game Pass Standard Tier Excludes Major Titles Like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Starfield, Diablo 4, and More
Xbox Game Pass Standard tier, Microsoft’s newly introduced basic subscription plan priced at $14.99 per month, excludes several high-profile games, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Starfield, Diablo 4, and many others.
In July, Microsoft announced changes to its Game Pass tiers, which took effect on September 12. While Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has increased from $16.99 to $19.99 per month and still offers the full range of benefits, the Standard tier is a significant downgrade compared to the previous Game Pass for Console.
Xbox Game Pass Changes
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate - $19.99 a month - Access to full library of Xbox Game Pass games, PC Game Pass games, EA Play, day one titles, online multiplayer, member deals and discounts, perks, and cloud gaming.
Xbox Game Pass Standard - $14.99 a month - Access to a limited library of Xbox Game Pass games which doesn't include day one titles, plus online multiplayer and member deals and discounts. This tier is "coming soon" and not necessarily alongside the September 12, 2024 price hike.
Xbox Game Pass Console - $10.99 a month for existing subscribers only - Limited library of Xbox games alongside member deals and discounts. No longer available to purchase as a new subscriber, but day one games are still included as they were before.
PC Game Pass - $11.99 a month - PC Game Pass games and EA Play. Microsoft has confirmed to IGN that day one titles will be included in this subscription.
Xbox Game Pass Core - $9.99 a month - Around 25 Xbox Game Pass games, online multiplayer, and member deals and discounts.
Replacing Game Pass for Console, the Standard tier offers fewer benefits, lacking access to day-one releases, EA Play, Xbox Cloud Gaming, perks, Quests, and discounts on Game Pass library titles. Microsoft has also restricted access to "specific entries to the Game Pass Ultimate library," which includes 41 titles that are now only available to Ultimate subscribers. Some of the notable exclusions for Standard tier users are Forza Motorsport, MLB: The Show 24, Octopath Traveler 2, Payday 3, Age of Mythology: Retold, and more.
Subscribers to the Standard tier have access to 370 games, compared to 508 available on Ultimate, as listed on the Xbox website. Of the missing titles, 96 belong to the EA Play catalog, which is not included in the Standard tier. To access these additional games, users will need to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate at $19.99 per month instead of the Standard $14.99 rate.
Xbox Game Pass launched in 2017 at $9.99 per month with all features included. Despite the recent changes, the service now offers significantly more games, including those from Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, such as Starfield and the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
