02-24-2025, 07:44 AM
If you’ve been using Microsoft Rewards to keep your Xbox Game Pass subscription active, brace yourself for some bad news—costs are going up. Starting on April 20, 2025, the number of points required to redeem Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass will increase significantly.
For Game Pass Ultimate, the redemption cost will jump from 12,000 points to 17,000 points, marking a steep 41% hike. PC Game Pass users will also feel the impact, with the required points rising from 7,750 to 10,500. For those who’ve been relying on Rewards to cover the cost of their subscription, this change will make it much harder to maintain a Game Pass membership without paying out of pocket.
Microsoft Rewards has long been a popular way for Xbox Game Pass users to enjoy the service without having to spend extra cash. By completing daily challenges, earning points from Bing searches, and engaging with Xbox content, dedicated users could rack up enough points to cover their subscription fees. However, this new change makes that much more difficult.
With the 41% increase, it’s going to take a lot more time and effort to earn the required points for a one-month Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Some users have already expressed frustration, with some even suggesting that they may need to cut back on gaming just to grind for more Rewards points. Others are seeing this as a quiet price hike from Microsoft, following last year’s price increase for Game Pass Ultimate to $16.99 per month.
This change is a tough pill to swallow. Microsoft Rewards was a lifeline for those looking to avoid constantly paying for Game Pass, and it felt like a mutually beneficial system—Microsoft got engagement, and players got free access to Game Pass. Now, that balance is starting to shift.
Let’s face it: the reason behind this price hike is likely that too many people were using Microsoft Rewards to get Game Pass for free. But an increase of 41% feels like a steep jump. Earning 17,000 points a month isn’t easy, even for the most dedicated Rewards users.
Many Xbox players are already saying they might have to let their subscription lapse or downgrade to Game Pass Core, a cheaper option with a more limited game library. Some are even wondering if this change is a sign of further price hikes, considering Microsoft’s recent trend of tweaking the service.
At this point, the only change is to the Microsoft Rewards redemption system—standard Game Pass pricing remains unaffected. However, if this mirrors previous subscription increases, it wouldn’t be surprising if other adjustments are made in the future.
If you rely on Microsoft Rewards to fund your Game Pass, now may be the time to stockpile your points before the price increase hits. Otherwise, free Game Pass could soon become a lot harder to maintain.
Xbox Gift Card and Xbox Microsoft Gift Card are versatile recharge tools designed for Xbox users. Users can use these gift cards to purchase games, Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, downloadable content (DLC), applications and other digital goods on Microsoft Store and Xbox Store. Whether it is recharging for yourself or giving to friends, they are ideal for satisfying gaming needs and sharing happiness.
If you are looking for a convenient, secure and affordable platform for purchasing gift cards, you may wish to visit the Z2U website. Z2U.COM offers a wide variety of and at favorable prices and a transparent and efficient transaction process, allowing you to easily get the recharge cards you need. Whether buying or selling gift cards, Z2U is a trustworthy choice.
For Game Pass Ultimate, the redemption cost will jump from 12,000 points to 17,000 points, marking a steep 41% hike. PC Game Pass users will also feel the impact, with the required points rising from 7,750 to 10,500. For those who’ve been relying on Rewards to cover the cost of their subscription, this change will make it much harder to maintain a Game Pass membership without paying out of pocket.
Microsoft Rewards has long been a popular way for Xbox Game Pass users to enjoy the service without having to spend extra cash. By completing daily challenges, earning points from Bing searches, and engaging with Xbox content, dedicated users could rack up enough points to cover their subscription fees. However, this new change makes that much more difficult.
With the 41% increase, it’s going to take a lot more time and effort to earn the required points for a one-month Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Some users have already expressed frustration, with some even suggesting that they may need to cut back on gaming just to grind for more Rewards points. Others are seeing this as a quiet price hike from Microsoft, following last year’s price increase for Game Pass Ultimate to $16.99 per month.
This change is a tough pill to swallow. Microsoft Rewards was a lifeline for those looking to avoid constantly paying for Game Pass, and it felt like a mutually beneficial system—Microsoft got engagement, and players got free access to Game Pass. Now, that balance is starting to shift.
Let’s face it: the reason behind this price hike is likely that too many people were using Microsoft Rewards to get Game Pass for free. But an increase of 41% feels like a steep jump. Earning 17,000 points a month isn’t easy, even for the most dedicated Rewards users.
Many Xbox players are already saying they might have to let their subscription lapse or downgrade to Game Pass Core, a cheaper option with a more limited game library. Some are even wondering if this change is a sign of further price hikes, considering Microsoft’s recent trend of tweaking the service.
At this point, the only change is to the Microsoft Rewards redemption system—standard Game Pass pricing remains unaffected. However, if this mirrors previous subscription increases, it wouldn’t be surprising if other adjustments are made in the future.
If you rely on Microsoft Rewards to fund your Game Pass, now may be the time to stockpile your points before the price increase hits. Otherwise, free Game Pass could soon become a lot harder to maintain.
Xbox Gift Card and Xbox Microsoft Gift Card are versatile recharge tools designed for Xbox users. Users can use these gift cards to purchase games, Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, downloadable content (DLC), applications and other digital goods on Microsoft Store and Xbox Store. Whether it is recharging for yourself or giving to friends, they are ideal for satisfying gaming needs and sharing happiness.
If you are looking for a convenient, secure and affordable platform for purchasing gift cards, you may wish to visit the Z2U website. Z2U.COM offers a wide variety of and at favorable prices and a transparent and efficient transaction process, allowing you to easily get the recharge cards you need. Whether buying or selling gift cards, Z2U is a trustworthy choice.