Xbox Game Pass Price Hike Ignites Outrage in Cost-Sensitive Brazil, Greece, and South America

Microsoft’s caller Xbox Game Pass terms increases and rebranding person sparked important backlash, peculiarly successful emerging markets similar Brazil, Greece, and South Africa, wherever terms hikes person deed hardest—some exceeding 100% compared to a 50% summation successful the U.S.

Promotional artwork for Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass (image source: Xbox)

Effective October 1, 2025, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes console, PC, and unreality gaming, roseate from $19.99 to $29.99 per period successful the U.S. Microsoft justified the hike with additions similar Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew, and a committedness to 75 day-one titles annually. However, successful regions with little purchasing power, the increases consciousness disproportionately steep.

In Brazil, Game Pass Ultimate astir doubled from R$59.99 to R$119.90 per period (~$11 to $22 USD), equating to astir 8% of the country’s 1,500 BRL monthly minimum wage. Other tiers, similar Essential (formerly Core), roseate 25% to R$43.90, and Premium (Standard) climbed 33% to R$59.90. Features similar 1440p unreality streaming stay unavailable successful Brazil, adding to subscriber frustration.

In Greece, Game Pass Ultimate present costs €26.99 (~$31 USD), aligning with prices successful higher-income countries similar Germany, contempt Greece’s mean income being fractional arsenic overmuch and lacking unreality streaming access. South Africa saw a 75% jump, with Ultimate rising from R200 to R350 per month, a important load fixed the region’s median income.

Gamers worldwide, peculiarly successful these regions, person taken to platforms similar X to explicit dismay, with many, arsenic noted by Paul Tassi, canceling subscriptions. The terms hikes, coupled with constricted diagnostic access, item Microsoft’s situation successful balancing planetary pricing with determination economical realities.

As Microsoft pushes for profitability amid 2025 layoffs and task cancellations successful its Xbox division, these changes hazard alienating subscribers successful cost-sensitive markets, perchance starring to a first-time diminution successful subscriber numbers.

Rahim Amir Noorali – Tech Writer
Contact: LinkedIn
Please stock our article, each nexus counts!