The head of ID@Xbox announced that Xbox has made its biggest investment yet in Game Pass this year

In a significant move for Xbox in 2025, the company has committed to its most substantial funding for Game Pass, as announced by ID@Xbox head Chris Charla.

In a conversation with Eurogamer during Gamescom, Charla stated that most Game Pass partners are eager to feature their future games on the platform.

"We have engaged with over 150 partners to broaden our collection," Charla informed. "Annually, we consult hundreds of collaborators about their upcoming projects."

"Previously, we've worked with more than 50 groups to establish their initial Game Pass agreements," Charla added. "This year, we've made a record-breaking investment in Game Pass, aiming to offer a thrilling and varied selection of games."

In July 2024, Microsoft altered its Xbox Game Pass pricing structure, initially affecting new users, followed by existing subscribers seeing increases in September 2024.

Additionally, the former Game Pass for Console tier was replaced by a Standard tier costing $14.99 per month starting September 2024. However, this new tier requires members to wait over a year for first-party releases unlike instant access available on premium tiers.

Following these changes, the FTC submitted a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals, expressing concerns over Microsoft's pricing strategy, criticizing it as inconsistent with the company’s previous statements.

The FTC letter cited Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard in October 2023 as a factor potentially harming consumers by reducing service value while increasing prices, thus intensifying worries linked to the merger.

Microsoft countered by describing the FTC's assertions as "misleading", accusing the agency of persisting with baseless claims.

In October 2024, after the price adjustments were fully implemented, the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 set a record for Game Pass subscriptions, marking it as the most successful release yet in the series and a notable event for the newly acquired Activision Blizzard titles.

In a financial update for Q4 FY 2025 released in July, Microsoft reported a 13% year-over-year increase in Xbox content and services revenue. Amy Hood, the company's executive vice president and CFO, attributed this rise to the outstanding performance of their proprietary content and Game Pass offerings.