If you’ve been meaning to renew your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, now’s the time to act. Amazon is offering one of the best prices we’ve seen this year – three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $54.99, down from the usual $59.99.
At first glance, five bucks off doesn’t sound like a game-changer. But with Microsoft’s recent price increases kicking in, this small discount could be your last opportunity to stock up before the higher rates fully take effect.
A Small Discount That Adds Up Fast
Game Pass Ultimate used to be $19.99 a month, but Microsoft recently bumped that up to $29.99. At the new rate, three months of Ultimate costs $89.97 – so Amazon’s current deal saves you roughly $35 per code.
That might not sound massive for a single code, but here’s where it gets interesting: you can stack Game Pass subscriptions. Stacking simply means you redeem multiple codes back-to-back to extend your membership for months, even years.
The maximum you can stack is 36 months. So if you grab enough 3-month codes now at $54.99 each, you’d be paying about $659.88 total for three years of Ultimate. At the new price, that same period would cost you around $1,079.64.
That’s a savings of over $419, which is basically like getting more than an extra year of Game Pass for free.
Even if you just want to cover yourself for one year, buying four of these discounted codes ($219.96 total) still beats paying $359.88 under Microsoft’s new plan.
Simply put, if you’ve been thinking of renewing, this is the moment to do it before every retailer adjusts to the new pricing.
Game Pass Price Hikes Hit Hard
Microsoft officially rolled out new pricing for all tiers of Xbox Game Pass this October, marking one of the biggest cost jumps in the service’s history.
Here’s how the updated lineup looks now:
- Game Pass Ultimate: $29.99/month (up from $19.99)
- Game Pass Premium (formerly Standard): $14.99/month
- Game Pass Essential (formerly Core): $9.99/month
- PC Game Pass: $16.49/month (up from $11.99)
That’s a 50% price hike for Ultimate users – or an extra $120 per year if you stay subscribed.
Microsoft says the new prices reflect added content and features, such as Ubisoft+ Classics integration, expanded cloud streaming with 1440p quality, and more day-one game launches. But for most subscribers, the sudden jump still stings – especially for those who have been loyal since the early days of Game Pass.
October’s Game Pass Lineup Looks Strong
To ease the pain, Microsoft dropped a pretty stacked list of games coming to Game Pass this October. It’s the first major lineup reveal since the new prices took effect, and it shows the company is clearly trying to prove the value behind the cost increase.
Here’s what’s arriving across the different tiers this month:
- October 8 – Supermarket Simulator (Cloud, Console, PC)
- October 9 – Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Editions (PC)
- October 14 – The Casting of Frank Stone (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S)
- October 15 – Ball x Pit (Cloud, Console, PC)
- October 15 – The Grinch: Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, PC)
- October 15 – Eternal Strands (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S)
- October 15 – He Is Coming (PC Game Preview)
- October 15 – Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S)
- October 16 – Pax Dei (PC)
- October 17 – Keeper (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S)
- October 21 – Evil West (Cloud, Console, PC)
- October 21 – Ninja Gaiden 4 (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S)
The lineup includes a solid mix of new indies, returning classics, and a couple of heavy hitters from Xbox Game Studios. The inclusion of Keeper from Double Fine and Ninja Gaiden 4 from Team Ninja adds even more weight to October’s offerings.
If you’ve been on the fence about renewing, these new additions could make the decision a bit easier.
Stacking Before the Storm
The stacking trick has been around for years, but it’s becoming more valuable now than ever. Microsoft caps your total prepaid time at 36 months, so this Amazon sale is the perfect chance to fill that window before the new prices apply everywhere.
It’s simple to do:
- Purchase multiple 3-month codes.
- Log in to your Microsoft account.
- Redeem each code one by one – they’ll automatically extend your subscription duration.
If you’re already on Game Pass Ultimate, your remaining time simply adds on top. Just make sure your total doesn’t exceed the 36-month cap, or the system won’t accept additional codes.
Other Retailers Holding Out (For Now)
While Amazon’s $54.99 deal is easily the best one going right now, a few other major retailers are still holding onto the older prices – at least temporarily. GameStop, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart haven’t yet rolled out Microsoft’s new pricing structure across all locations.
That means it might still be possible to find physical or digital codes at the previous rates if you move quickly. Once these retailers adjust, though, that window will close fast.
GameStop in particular has indicated it plans to keep selling codes at older prices for as long as existing stock lasts. So if Amazon sells out or the discount disappears, that’s another option worth checking.
What This Means for Subscribers
The price hike doesn’t just raise monthly costs – it changes how people think about Game Pass altogether. For years, it’s been one of the best deals in gaming. But at $29.99 a month, Ultimate starts to feel closer to a premium streaming service than a casual subscription.
Still, for players who dive into multiple new releases every month, Game Pass remains unmatched. Day-one access to major titles, combined with the flexibility of playing on console, PC, or the cloud, keeps Ultimate as one of the strongest value propositions in gaming – even at the higher rate.
If you’re someone who only uses it occasionally, though, this might be the right time to reconsider your plan. The new Premium tier at $14.99 or even Essential at $9.99 might make more sense if you’re not taking full advantage of Ultimate’s extras.
Final Thoughts
Amazon’s current deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is more than just a small discount – it’s a golden opportunity to get ahead of a major price shift. With the ability to stack up to three years of subscription time, gamers can effectively lock in hundreds of dollars in savings before the new prices become universal.
Given how quickly digital code prices tend to catch up to Microsoft’s official rates, it’s only a matter of time before this window closes. If you’ve been holding off, this might be your last, best chance to save on one of gaming’s most popular subscriptions.
