Game Pass in Firing Line

The value aspect of Game Pass has gone which has led to many cancellations of subscriptions of late. However, without knowing the value of what is to come how can we really distinguish if the value has diminished? One thing is for certain is that all console companies are acting in a way that really inhibits this sort of behaviour and so there is no white knight.

At the same time though, it’s clear that options are good and there are plenty. In a sense, you could see this as Microsoft’s way of pulling back on the whole Xbox Game Pass situation and wanting to get people to actually purchase games outright. That’s not a reasonable assumption though because there is a tier system that provides a certain level of affordability for all.

The outrage has been heard but still this just seems like a situation that isn’t going to change all that much. It’s probably been in the making for a while and fits into how they see the platform in the future generation. Gaming as a whole is becoming a luxury habit and one where it doesn’t matter where you game it’s essentially just becoming increasingly less competitive.

That’s why the fear of PlayStation looking at these price increases and doing something themself is real. However, I don’t think that is all that plausible because in terms of what Microsoft is offering with Game Pass. These subscription offerings are not the same.

Day and date titles of increasingly highly costly triple-A games and a line-up that looks fruitful. We kind of know what is on the agenda with Xbox Game Pass. For the most part, we know we’re going to like what’s coming even if most don’t like the cost. The difference from PlayStation is they’re hand picked games.

And yes, there is value in them and nobody can dispute that, but at the same time, Game Pass is still the superior subscription service despite the many cancellations and outrage saying otherwise.

Ultimately, where this whole situation goes will be interesting in the long term. However, when you look at the ecosystem as a whole with Xbox. They still offer a better overall consumer experience regarding buying games outright cheaper. We’re seeing that first hand with the Xbox Rog Ally and this will definitely carry over to their next generation console.

So for all the rage right now, I see this more as a stepping stone of what the industry of large has created and just how costly it is to not only make games but also kind of give them away without any sort of payback. That trade-off has now evaporated and is now being replaced with money making machines where profit margins are needing to get higher and higher. Xbox has invested a lot into Game Pass, at record levels.

It’s going to be interesting how they turn the tide of this negativity and get people back on board again. Or if this is just the dramatics of the internet and we see normal service that just resumes.