As a part of controversial adjustments made to Xbox Recreation Cross this week, Microsoft has pulled the ten% low cost on DLC for Recreation Cross video games that Final subscribers had been capable of get, seemingly in favor of its new Rewards scheme.
The information first emerged when the Name of Obligation neighborhood seen that Final subscribers had been not eligible for 10% off COD Factors purchases in addition to Blackcell, the costlier model of Name of Obligation’s battle move that may solely be purchased straight with actual world cash for $29.99. The low cost was seen as extremely priceless for followers who play Name of Obligation by way of Recreation Cross.
CharlieIntel first noticed the change within the U.S., and IGN has verified the low cost is not obtainable within the UK. IGN has requested Microsoft for remark.
Xbox has eliminated the ten% low cost that Xbox Recreation Cross Final members might get on add-on content material for Name of Obligation – together with eradicating the low cost on Name of Obligation Factors and BlackCell as a part of the adjustments to Recreation Cross this week. pic.twitter.com/ipaMgENuwi
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) October 3, 2025
Plainly this low cost removing extends past Name of Obligation, nevertheless. As noticed by PureXbox, nearly all of particular person DLC packs for Recreation Cross video games not have 10% off for subscribers (aside from EA Play video games the place the ten% discount nonetheless applies).
The removing of the low cost was not talked about on this week’s Final subscription value rise announcement. Nonetheless, Microsoft did verify adjustments to how Final subscribers earn cashback by way of its rewards system, and it is believed these adjustments act as a substitute of kinds.
Here is Microsoft’s blurb on the upgraded Final Rewards program:
Final subscribers can now earn as much as $100 per 12 months (100,000 factors globally) within the Retailer simply by enjoying video games. With our upgraded Rewards program, gamers can stand up to 30% worth on choose Recreation Cross video games, with 4x factors on purchases of video games and add-ons, 10% again in factors on choose Recreation Cross library titles and add-ons, and as much as 20% off choose Recreation Cross video games.
Primarily, in the event you subscribe to Final you get extra factors from COD Factors purchases. Clearly, Microsoft’s play right here, like so many retailers, is to maintain your cash swirling round its ecosystem slightly than your checking account. As redditor dazzathomas defined: “The change is that Premium will get 5% extra Rewards factors and Final will get 10% when shopping for add-on content material from Recreation Cross video games. They need you to spend the complete quantity and provides the saving again to you in Reward factors so that you spend these on present playing cards, protecting it within the Xbox ecosystem slightly than saving your individual cash.”
Microsoft sparked a backlash for elevating the value of Xbox Recreation Cross Final from $19.99 a month to $29.99 a month (an additional $120 a 12 months).
To justify the rise in value of Final, Microsoft has elevated the variety of day one releases per 12 months to 75, and has added Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics for the primary time ever. There are additionally upgrades to Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming high quality.
Ubisoft+ Classics — valued at $7.99 / £6.99 per 30 days per platform — is now a part of Final. Beginning November 18, Fortnite Crew — which itself prices $11.99 / £9.99 a month — might be included in Final, with entry to the Fortnite Battle Cross and 1,000 V-Bucks every month.
The cloud gaming increase quantities to raised efficiency. Final subscribers “solely take pleasure in our greatest high quality streaming and shortest wait instances,” Microsoft mentioned. Xbox Cloud Gaming has additionally formally exited beta “as a part of our dedication to make gameplay smoother and extra responsive.”
Microsoft mentioned the brand new $30 a month Final value displays “the expanded catalog, new associate advantages, and upgraded cloud gaming expertise.”
Apparently, the brand new Premium tier (what was known as Commonplace) will add new Xbox-published video games inside a 12 months of their launch, however that excludes Name of Obligation video games. Which means if you wish to play Name of Obligation by way of Recreation Cross, you’re just about compelled into paying for Final. Over the course of a 12 months, that’s $360. And now, you don’t even get 10% off COD Factors or BlackCell.
Followers are operating the numbers and reassessing whether or not Recreation Cross stays proper for them. Black Ops 7, which simply launched in beta type forward of its November launch date, is a $70 recreation (Microsoft back-tracked on $80 after a gamer outcry at the price of Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2). Maybe the choice to stay with $70 for Black Ops 7 has come at a further value for each Microsoft and gamers.
IGN’s ballot on the difficulty, which now has over 22,000 voters, exhibits 52% of our viewers won’t subscribe to Recreation Cross in any respect. 22.5% mentioned they had been going for Final regardless of the value rise.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
