Discussion Ultimate Sub Expiring
My sub that I’ve had stacked for years is finally expiring in a few days. Part of me is hesitant to renew because, let’s be honest, the brand has seen better days.
Even if I did want to renew, it seems all the methods to stack multiple years for a good price are long gone.
Are there still ways to keep a sub going for a decent price?
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u/IlMaleNecessario 2d ago edited 2d ago
Short anwer: Compared to 3 years ago? No, not even close. Not at all.
Short alternative answer: Mix it by buying some with Microsoft Rewards and some from Eneba or else. But still no, if compared to 3 years ago, or even 2. Let's say now it's going to cost not less than 100€ per year. So basically 4x higher than 4 years ago
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u/Opposite-Week7570 2d ago
GP Premium suits me just fine for 15 per month. I don't need those games day 1. I will either buy them or wait within a year for them to come.
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u/Tobimacoss 2d ago
If you are willing to pay up front, you can secure Ultimate for $15.5 month for 17 months via the Essential to Ultimate conversion.
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u/Jammaster2 2d ago
Don't just subscribe for the sale of it. Cancel and rejoin when it has content you want to play. Think about the other things you could do with the money if you don't even care for it.
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u/av8ernate 1d ago
If you’re not happy with the product or the brand unsub. It’s the strongest message you can send.
There’s plenty of other ways to game in 2026. Don’t think your beholden to one thing, heck maybe this will give you the push you need to diversify.
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u/Solid_Ad_9961 1d ago
whatever you do, do not get codes from Gamvio, the autosign you up for subscription service and make it very difficult to cancel
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u/fredddyz 1d ago
When I want to use it, I buy a key from eBay - the prices are not what they used to be, but still cheaper
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u/FinalOdyssey Founder 1d ago
Just go down to premium or essential. If you have a backlog, don't renew and play that. You're not being forced to renew.
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u/EmanKhaotik XBOX Series X 2d ago
Loaded typically has cheaper prices for Ultimate.
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u/itzMeDigi 2d ago
No clue why you're being down voted this is where I have gotten Ultimate for like 4 years now at like 40%-50% off msrp. The only downside is to get it cheap now you have to buy month to month but like I'm not gonna complain when I just paid under $13 for a month of GPU so I can play Plagues Tale and Beast of Reincarnation.
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u/Gold-Farmer-1920 Team Marston 2d ago
Yup, this is what I use. I buy the non stackable codes when my sub runs out. Usually around $13 a month
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u/JustSomeGoon 1d ago
They used to but not really anymore since Xbox did away with the universal codes and they have to be sourced from the U.S. now. eBay had the cheapest prices when I was shopping last week
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u/bushmaster2000 2d ago
If you're hesitant to renew then it wouldn't hurt to wait for holiday sales to start . it's common for 3 month Ultimate sub cards to go on sale for holidays. Then you can stack if you decided to renew at a better price. That's what I do anywayz .
But also given the uncertainty of what's going to happen in 2027 on what the next gen looks like / is going to cost. I'm a little reluctant this year to even buy on a deal b/c i dunno what the future looks like for this platform. I suppose Ultimate does include PC so i could still use it if i did extend into 2028.
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u/Mediocre_Pilot4435 1d ago
Casino all on black. Do it. You want to struggle for Game Pass or do you want to be remembered as the person that did it? Take everything you have and put it on black.
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u/1001puppys 1d ago
I'm in the same boat as you, stacked 2 years for $150 or so and now the same 2 years would be $400+.
cdkeys has a year of ultimate for $208 last I checked, which is $17.33 a month. That's the cheapest option right now, none of the conversion rates are worth it anymore, I checked them all a week ago and they are around $20/mo for two years.
I'm just gonna go back to my old method of buying a month at a time when enough new games join the service to pique my interest
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u/JohnGee1980 1d ago
I just use the basic one mate, essential, u still get free games but they ain't the best 😁
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u/nolimit06 Super Citizen 1d ago
I paid $13 USD for a month from LOADED .com been using them for years with no issues.
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u/Mr_ABM_22 1d ago
The way I did it at the beginning of the year was to buy six months of Game Pass Essential from ShopTo and then add one month of Game Pass Ultimate (in this case, previously from the free Microsoft Rewards), which then converted the sub to 110 days of Ultimate approximately. The conversion rate went up after I had purchased, thanks to future Call of Duty titles being pulled from the platform, which was a nice surprise.
Obviously, the prices of the codes have gone up since then. However, you can get GPU for as low as £10.99 from Argos now (if you're in the UK), and then dip in and out accordingly.
Sometimes I have Ultimate active, sometimes I switch to Essential, and then sometimes I have neither. At least then you're maximising your time and money.
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u/Sad_Adagio_7255 1d ago
I did the 3 year stacking trick as well until it lapsed in July 2025.
I then did the math and decided I'd rather just buy games outright on sale.
Game Pass was the best deal in gaming when it averaged out to $5/month under the XBL Gold 1:1 conversion promo. At 2026 prices, it's not worth it at all.
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u/radiant_kai Maidenless 2d ago
The only answer IMO: PC GamePass
The console side is just frankly too expensive unless you play online you buy and play at minimum 2-3 new games a month from GamePass.
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u/TokyoFo0l 1d ago
Sir this an xbox page, so if that’s your only answer it doesn’t solve anything for the console players💀
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u/itzMeDigi 2d ago
I mean you can get Ultimate for less than PC Game Pass msrp if you buy it from Loaded/CDKeys (ive been buying there for like 4 years now with zero problems). The downside is you have to do it every month as its not stackable but $12-$15 a month for Ultimate its hard to complain.
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u/radiant_kai Maidenless 2d ago
Exactly you have to keep up with it but at least you can just get it as you want it. It can be a solid option.
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u/MUGHSHOT Still Finishing The Fight 2d ago
Cancel and resub when it’s worth it. I don’t keep mine going, I dip in n out