Xbox Game Pass cancellation page crashes after 50% price hike triggers mass cancellations

Microsoft’s recent announcement of its Xbox Game Pass Subscription service on October 1, 2025, has sparked widespread backlash among Game Pass subscribers as the company announced a 50% price increase for its top-tier Game Pass Ultimate Plan, raising it from $19.99 to $29.99 per month.

This announcement quickly spiraled into chaos as subscribers flocked to cancel their Game Pass subscription on the Xbox website, ultimately overwhelming the page and rendering it inaccessible for many users within a few hours.

Sam Comrie from Pocket Tactics first highlighted the issue on X, stating, “The page to cancel Game Pass subscriptions is broken already, incredible.”

Multiple posts from frustrated players across social media reported that they were met with a page stating that players could not cancel Game Pass and were prompted to contact customer service. However, after repeated attempts, it actually worked.

Some users reported it took them over 30 minutes for the cancellation page to finally load. By late afternoon, the webpage stabilized for most players, allowing them to proceed with cancellations. 

The restructuring introduces three new rebranded tiers. Core has been renamed to Essential, Standard to Premium, while Ultimate remains identical in terms of naming schemes and aims to provide “more flexibility, choice and value.”

The company has expanded Game Pass’s library since, with 95 additional games, including 14 Assassin’s Creed titles via Ubisoft+ Classics.

Essential still serves as the basic entry point with access to select games and cloud streaming at an unchanged $9.99 price tag.

Premium jumps from $11.99 to $14.99 and now includes PC game access alongside console titles, $50 per year in Microsoft Rewards points, while Ultimate subscribers get $100, and Essential members get $25 in points per year.

PC Game Pass subscribers face a substantial 40% to 80% price hike in select regions, pushing the cost to $16.49 monthly with no add-ons.

It appears that Xbox is further pivoting to its Game Pass subscription service amid buckling hardware sales, as major retailers like Walmart and Best Buy are phasing out consoles, with Costco confirming that it will no longer sell Xbox hardware in the U.S. and U.K.

While Game Pass was deemed “profitable,” generating $5 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year, it doesn’t take into account the cost of game development. The coming months will reveal whether Game Pass will bolster revenue and increase subscriber count or face a steep decline.

Buy the (still discounted) Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription on Amazon