In 2025, Microsoft implemented a controversial price hike for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. According to multiple sources including statements from Xbox's chief strategy officer, the price increase resulted in the loss of millions of subscribers over the following 12 months.

The price rose from $20 to $23 per month, a change that Microsoft has publicly acknowledged as the cause of significant subscriber attrition. This development has sparked debate about whether the price increase was a necessary business decision or if it alienated too many customers.

The company has yet to announce any further adjustments or strategies to recover the lost subscriber base.