Holy Sh!t, Something Actually Got Cheaper - Next-Gen Console Watch

This episode of NextGen Console Watch dives into the recent, surprising price reduction of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and its implications. Host Damon Hatfield is joined by Ryan McAffrey and Max Scoville to discuss the move, which sees the subscription drop from $30 to $23 per month. Ryan expresses surprise at the speed of the price cut, having expected it to be announced at the upcoming June showcase. He credits the new Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, who has only been in her role for two months, for making such a significant change so early. Ryan, who canceled his subscription after last year's price hike, is pleased with the reduction and plans to resubscribe for Forza, saving $7 per month. Max, who currently has a long-term code for Game Pass, is less affected but expresses a desire for more tiered subscription options. He believes removing Call of Duty from day-one inclusion is a positive step but feels it's not enough to make Game Pass the "best deal again." Max personally didn't engage with Call of Duty on Game Pass, preferring to explore smaller titles, and suggests a customizable approach to Game Pass would be more appealing. Damon highlights the unprecedented nature of a subscription service lowering its price, with only historical examples like Hulu and the disastrous Movie Pass coming to mind. He questions whether this indicates desperation from Microsoft or a genuine commitment to revitalizing Xbox. Ryan leans towards the latter, pointing out that no streaming service has previously increased prices by such a drastic 50% in one go, unlike the gradual increases seen with services like Netflix. He sees the price drop as a sign that Asha Sharma is empowered to make significant changes and hopes this extends to potentially lowering console hardware prices, which he considers unsustainably high. The removal of day-one Call of Duty releases is a point of discussion. While it allows for the price reduction, Max raises concerns about what this might signal for future major releases, such as The Elder Scrolls 6. He questions whether such highly anticipated games will also be excluded from day-one Game Pass access, forcing players to purchase them separately. Damon notes that the $7 monthly saving equates to $84 annually, which is roughly the cost of Call of Duty at launch plus potential in-game purchases, meaning Call of Duty subscribers aren't necessarily saving money. He also suggests that putting Call of Duty on Game Pass didn't boost hardware sales or subscriptions as much as anticipated, noting the franchise's declining sales performance. Both Ryan and Max are surprised by Call of Duty's absence from the top-selling charts on PlayStation last year. They speculate that "Black Ops fatigue" and the mixed reception of Black Ops 7 might be contributing factors to this decline, alongside increased competition from other popular titles like Fortnite and Roblox. Regarding the argument that $23 is still more expensive than last year's pre-increase price of $20, Ryan acknowledges this but doesn't begrudge the increase. He believes $23 is a more reasonable price point than the previous $30, suggesting that if Microsoft had to increase prices, they should have done so in smaller increments. He anticipates that future price increases will likely push the cost to $25. Damon compares this to the increasing cost of other subscription services like Disney Plus and Netflix, where consumers have their breaking points. The conversation then shifts to PlayStation Plus, with Max detailing the Premium tier, which costs $159.99 annually and offers cloud streaming, game trials, and access to a library of classic and newer games. He contrasts this with Game Pass's aggressive "everything day one" strategy, which he believes has garnered more attention, while PlayStation Plus has had more gradual price changes, if any. He expresses nostalgia for the early days of single-digit subscription costs. Ryan reiterates that the price decrease is a step in the right direction and believes it's a response to a significant number of cancellations after last year's price hike. He suggests that Game Pass subscriptions will likely increase again eventually, as is typical in a capitalist market. He emphasizes that consumers can "vote with their wallets" and that the value proposition of Game Pass is subjective. Ryan also highlights a significant price decrease for PC Game Pass, from $16.50 to $14 per month, which he believes is a particularly attractive deal for PC gamers. Looking ahead, Ryan believes Asha Sharma needs to address two other key areas: hardware prices and exclusivity. He argues that console prices are too high and that Microsoft should consider lowering them, perhaps by bringing a digital Series X model down to $500. He also calls for clarity on Microsoft's exclusivity strategy, noting the inconsistency in how long games remain exclusive. The hosts then discuss viewer engagement, asking if they will resubscribe to Game Pass Ultimate after the price drop. They also recap the results of a previous poll where viewers were most excited for upcoming May games rather than April releases. Finally, they briefly touch on the upcoming game "Pragmata," "Mouse Pi for Hire," and "Vampire Crawlers," and mention IGN Live 2026.