CNET Flags $49 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Deal After Microsoft’s Price Changes

Q: What hidden conversion loophole are savvy gamers using to bypass Microsoft's increasingly complex Game Pass pricing tiers entirely?

Savvy gamers are using the old EA Play-to-Game Pass Ultimate conversion loophole. The workaround is to let any existing Game Pass subscription fully expire, then redeem up to 36 months of prepaid EA Play codes on the Microsoft account. After that, buying one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate triggers Microsoft’s conversion system, turning the stacked EA Play time into a shorter but still heavily discounted block of Ultimate time. Recent community examples describe 36 months of EA Play converting into about nine months of Ultimate, with the extra month purchased making roughly 10 months total. The savings can be substantial because EA Play annual codes are often much cheaper than paying Microsoft’s standard Ultimate monthly price. That effectively sidesteps the complexity of Microsoft’s newer Essential, Premium, PC Game Pass and Ultimate tiers by converting into the top plan at a lower average monthly cost. The catch is that this works best only for new or expired members. If an Ultimate subscription is already active, the conversion rate is much worse. It also depends on Microsoft’s current conversion rules, which can change, and prepaid time still cannot exceed the 36-month cap. So while CNET highlights discounted third-party Ultimate codes as the simplest deal, the hidden loophole advanced bargain hunters are using is stacking EA Play codes and then converting them with one month of Game Pass Ultimate.

1 articles · Updated · CNET · Jul 29

$49 buys three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at Loaded, down from the usual $69 and highlighted by CNET as the best current offer.
Loaded also lists a one-month Ultimate plan at 51% off and a six-month Ultimate subscription for $105, while a 12-month Game Pass Essential deal cuts $46 from the monthly equivalent cost.
Microsoft’s current lineup spans four tiers, with Ultimate at $23 a month, PC Game Pass at $14, Premium at $15 and Essential at $10.
The discounts matter more after Game Pass pricing shifts, with Ultimate having moved from $20 to $30 in October 2025 before settling at $23 in April 2026.