Monthly subscription prices for PC Game Pass will increase in all markets starting September 12. In Malaysia the payment will increase to RM20 per month compared to RM15 before. Microsoft's move is seen as a way to boost revenue due to Games Pass for Xbox and PC not growing as expected and coming a month before Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches in October.
Customers will still enjoy new games from Microsoft's studios through a Games Pass subscription. But in markets where Xbox is supported by Microsoft, the new Xbox Game Pass Standard plan will be introduced at a cheaper price but without new games that can be played from day one. This means that new games from Microsoft studios will only be offered sometime after they launch.
Microsoft's video game business underwent a major overhaul this year that saw several developer studios shut down and thousands of staff laid off. The entire video game industry is currently affected due to the post-pandemic economic pressure causing studios and large companies such as Sony to follow Microsoft's lead in laying off workers.