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After hiking Xbox prices twice this year, Microsoft just bumped monthly Game Pass costs by 50%

The move comes just a few weeks after Microsoft hiked the price of Xbox consoles by up to $70.

10/1/25 12:33PM

October is Xbox price hike month.

Microsoft on Wednesday announced that the cost of its top-tier monthly gaming subscription, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, is rising to $30 per month, up from $20. The 50% increase will be followed by an already announced boost to the price of Xbox consoles later this week.

According to Microsoft, the subscription price hike reflects an “expanded catalog, new partner benefits, and upgraded cloud gaming experience.” The company also said that 45 new games are being added to the tier today.

Microsoft doesn’t frequently disclose Game Pass subscription numbers, but estimates put the current figure at about 38 million. That could grow with the launch of Xbox’s new handheld device, the ROG Xbox Ally, on October 16.

The handhelds won’t be cheap, either: the base model will cost $600, while the higher-powered edition will cost $1,000. For context, the Series X console, which launched at $500 about five years ago, will retail for $650 when the latest boost takes effect on Friday.

Microsoft may be more willing to raise prices than its rivals Nintendo and Sony, but all three have bumped the shelf price of some consoles this year amid tariffs.

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Prediction markets show “One Battle After Another” leads in Oscar race for Best Picture

It’s finally Oscars week — and with voting officially closed, all that’s left to do is count the ballots and wait to see who wins this Sunday night.

This year, the acting categories have been the most interesting to watch, especially the showdown between “Marty Supreme” star Timothée Chalamet and “Sinners” actor Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor. While Chalamet was long the favorite, Jordan has caught up and overtaken him after winning the Actor Award.

(Event contracts are offered through Robinhood Derivatives, LLC — probabilities referenced or sourced from KalshiEx LLC or ForecastEx LLC.)

But perhaps the most exciting race of all is for Best Picture. Out of the 10 nominees, the two at the top are Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” both of which are studio releases from Warner Bros. Discovery.

Which will win the top prize seems to be split among award pundits and experts. As of Monday afternoon, Gold Derby still has “One Battle After Another” as the front-runner with odds of 76.87%. AwardsWatch, AwardsRadar, and Numlock Awards are also still predicting that “One Battle After Another” will take the statue for Best Picture.

On the other side, reporters from some major trade publications like Variety’s Clayton Davis and The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg predict that “Sinners” will take the top honor.

Odds in the prediction markets currently show that “One Battle After Another” is still ahead of “Sinners,” with the former priced in at 75% while the latter is priced at 23%.

After hiking Xbox prices twice this year, Microsoft just bumped monthly Game Pass costs by 50%

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