Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is only $1 right now (yes, you read that right!)

By Ed Oswald Published April 25, 2023

While we’ve shared some super deals on Xbox Live subscriptions over the past several weeks, they’ve all been for the standard version of the service. But Microsoft’s early Memorial Day sale on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the cheapest yet: just $1 for your first month of service.

For serious Xbox console gamers, Game Pass Ultimate is a no-brainer. While Xbox Live Gold unlocks a lot of necessary features, if you’re a hardcore Xbox gamer, Ultimate just makes a lot of sense to subscribe to.

What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate? Think of it as an upgrade to the standard Xbox Live Gold membership. Your Gold membership gives you access to multiplayer 0nline gaming, as well as free downloadable games (about 2-4 per month) and discounts on game purchases — up to 75% off in the Xbox Store.

Upgrading to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold plus some additional benefits. The biggest is access to a sizable downloadable game library — well over 100 in total — which you can play as much as you want with no restrictions. Microsoft also adds games to Ultimate much more frequently and in larger numbers than Gold, and we’d argue better quality games as well.

Another nice feature is the ability to play Xbox console exclusives the day they release. For example, Microsoft released full versions of Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, State of Decay 2 to Ultimate subscribers — eliminating the need to stand outside your local game shop at midnight.

The discounts are also better: you’ll get 20% off games in the Game Pass library, plus exclusive perks, including in-game add-ons, consumables, and partner offers. After your first month at $1, the service is $15 per month afterward, which is still a great deal for all the benefits you get.

Either way, you’re going to want to hurry with this one. We fully expect this deal to only be available for a limited time, and it will likely be gone after Memorial Day. There are also a lot of other great Memorial Day sales out there, and we’re digging up more every minute — so keep checking back with us for more great deals.

Contributor

For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…

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Gaming

Best Buy Memorial Day sale: Save $50 on the Xbox Series X

A black Xbox Series X and controller against a black background.

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Computing

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Gaming

Now’s a great time to buy an extra Xbox Wireless Controller

Xbox X Controller.

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