I opened my Xbox app and froze — the price column no longer felt like a fixed fact. You probably noticed the same thing when Microsoft quietly chopped Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 (€27 to €21) and your eyes started doing the math. That little hesitation is the moment Microsoft is trying to monetize differently.
I follow these shifts closely, and I’ll walk you through what the leaks, tests, and executive signals mean for your wallet and your library. You’ll get the parts that matter first, then the trade-offs you should watch for.
On my dashboard the tiers still read Essential, Premium, Ultimate — but that language might be gone soon
Windows Central’s Jez Corden reports Microsoft is testing a build your own plan for Xbox Game Pass. The idea: stop forcing you into fixed bundles and let you pick the pieces you actually want. It’s a strategy that leans on consumer choice — and on the hope that people will pay more for curated packages than they did for one-size-fits-all tiers.
What is the Xbox Game Pass “build your own plan” feature?
At its core it’s modular subscriptions. Instead of Essential, Premium, Ultimate, Microsoft could let you toggle benefits: day-one access to new Xbox titles, Xbox Cloud Gaming, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and add-ons like Fortnite Crew. The leaked backend APIs mention two testing tiers codenamed Duet and Triton, and insiders say the system will let you include or exclude specific services.
On forums you’ll see people already arguing about which perks they actually use
That argument is exactly why a build-your-own model makes sense for Microsoft right now. With Ultimate dropping from $29.99 (€27) to $22.99 (€21), the company reset expectations — now it can sell smaller slivers at a lower entry price while asking for more for premium bundles. Think of the new setup like a buffet where you only plate what you’ll eat; the trick is how many diners end up adding dessert.
But there’s a catch: early leaks suggest the custom plan might omit Xbox Cloud Gaming and Fortnite Crew as default options, so you could pay less but lose instant remote play and some seasonal perks. Microsoft’s head of Xbox, Asha Sharma, has been clear: user feedback will shape the rollout. That matters because companies often test a broad menu and then re-bundle high-margin items.
Will Call of Duty be included in Game Pass?
Short answer: not automatically. The recent pricing reshuffle coincided with news that 2026’s Call of Duty won’t be day-one on Game Pass. If you’re counting on flagship Activision titles as part of a cheap build, plan for them to be exceptions or add-ons — especially while Microsoft figures licensing and player expectations into the new model.
On spreadsheets and API dumps you can already trace the new pieces being tested
Leaks name potential integrations beyond classic add-ons: World of Warcraft benefits, Minecraft Realms, and even hints at Netflix-style bundles. There’s chatter about an Xbox Game Pass Family Plan as well. The internal codenames, test hooks, and API flags read like a product team mapping out every cross-sell opportunity — a smart move if Microsoft wants Game Pass to act as a Swiss Army knife for subscriptions rather than just a games catalogue.
Be skeptical where it counts: effective modular systems can save money if you truly only take what you need. But if Microsoft mixes in exclusive content or limits crucial features to higher tiers, your “savings” may evaporate. Watch for launch promos that mask the long-term monthly cost.
Practically speaking, here’s what I would do now: audit which Game Pass perks you actually use (cloud saves, console/PC play, day-one releases, EA Play), follow Jez Corden and Windows Central for leak updates, and wait until Asha Sharma’s changes go into wider testing before swapping plans. If the build-your-own plan arrives, it will change how you buy games — and how Microsoft prices them.
Is this the consumer-friendly reset Xbox needs, or just a rabbit hole of micro-bundles that leaves players paying for little extras forever?