OptimistPrime
Member
Microsoft wants GamePass to be the Netflix of games (it basically already is). While making great XBox exclusives is very important in general, I think all of these studios they are acquiring/building are ultimately there to feed a steady stream of new content to GamePass, much like how Netflix operates.
With this in mind, it seems likely to me that many if not all of these first party games in the future could be GamePass exclusives. This would push a lot of people into a subscription, and price-wise it's not that painful of a proposition for the consumer. That same $60 gets you six months of GamePass.
The benefits of this to Microsoft are:
EDIT:
This concept is proving to be a bit unpopular
Still, I think it makes business sense, so I will make a no-stakes bet that Microsoft will announce at least something exclusive for GamePass in the next year.
With this in mind, it seems likely to me that many if not all of these first party games in the future could be GamePass exclusives. This would push a lot of people into a subscription, and price-wise it's not that painful of a proposition for the consumer. That same $60 gets you six months of GamePass.
The benefits of this to Microsoft are:
- It increases the perceived value of GamePass. Microsoft is already in pretty good shape here relative to PSNow, but having games you can only experience on GamePass would really elevate its perceived value.
- Individual game pricing for first party games becomes irrelevant, so conversations about game length and value don't spring up. Reviews will likely be a little gentler, even if it's subconscious.
- Marketing is simplified. Every 1st party game commercial just becomes a GamePass commercial. The main selling point of a Gears 6 commercial is no longer "Gears 6 is actually good" but becomes simply "look at the breadth of experiences you can have, including this new shiny game". It's much easier to convince a consumer of this.
- Microsoft becomes much more nimble with publishing their games. They no longer have to coordinate physical game distribution for their big launches and could hypothetically hold a title for a reactionary release.
- It pushes people over the edge into GamePass. Xbox gamers that are on the fence about subscribing will have to jump over to play the new Halo and Forza. A more casual 1-2 game-buyer being pushed into a subscription is a huge win for Microsoft.
- It hides game sales performance figures which minimizes Xbox's business performance scrutiny. If a game fails, it would be pretty easy to gloss over.
EDIT:
This concept is proving to be a bit unpopular
Still, I think it makes business sense, so I will make a no-stakes bet that Microsoft will announce at least something exclusive for GamePass in the next year.
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