ToplineMicrosoft’s Xbox is slashing the price of Game Pass Ultimate, its most expensive gaming subscription, by $7, partially backing out of a massive price hike it made for the subscription just seven months ago. Some Xbox Game Pass subscription prices were increased in October.Photo by Ismail Aslandag/Anadolu via Getty ImagesKey FactsGame Pass Ultimate is dropping from $29.99 to $22.99 a month, while the price of PC Game Pass will drop from $16.49 to $13.99 a month, according to the announcement.It’s also removing new “Call of Duty” games from being available at launch through Game Pass Ultimate. New titles from the “Call of Duty” franchise will be added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass about a year after launch, though existing titles from the franchise already on the subscription services will continue being available.Xbox acknowledged the backlash to its October price hike that sent Game Pass Ultimate to $29.99 a month, saying “while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far. We’ll continue to listen and learn.”The partial reversal in subscription prices comes just two months after Asha Sharma was named the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming.Sharma told employees in an internal memo reported by The Verge this month that Game Pass had become "too expensive for players" and that Microsoft needed “a better value equation.”What Are Current Xbox Game Pass Prices?Xbox Game Pass has three tiers for its subscribers. Essential is $9.99 a month, giving players access to over 50 games, while Game Pass Premium is $14.99 a month, offering over 200 games and other perks. Ultimate, now priced at $22.99, offers over 500 games, day one launch titles and a few perks not available in the other tiers. PC Game Pass is separate from Xbox users, offering games on day one and hundreds of PC games for $13.99 a month. Key BackgroundXbox’s decision to increase the price of Game Pass Ultimate last year was highly unpopular among fans, who under the new rate, would fork out $360 a year to enjoy the subscription. Laura Fryer, one of the founding members of the Xbox project at Microsoft, said in a video last year she was “dismayed by Game Pass price hikes that are shattering the brand and alienating loyal fans.” The inclusion of new “Call of Duty” games on launch day for Ultimate members may have been a driving factor in increasing the price of the subscription, as players could avoid the $69.99 price tag for a new “Call of Duty,” which is one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. With the new change, Microsoft will likely capitalize on the $69.99 price for massively popular “Call of Duty” titles.Further ReadingMicrosoft Unveils 50% Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Hike, New Tiers (Forbes)