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So I keep being on the fence with Xbox Gamepass...

So I've been looking into subscribing to game-pass for a while, but I can't seem to commit since it feels I'm stuck in this dance position where I'm questioning its value as the time of writing this. In fact, I feel like every time I am looking into, it never seems like a good time to subscribe. I'll explain why. On one hand, being able to access a huge library of games for a reasonable monthly fee is something I'd like to get aboard. I already have a subscription to Netflix and Prime video and I believe I see the same potential in game-pass as I do with these streaming services. One the other hand, I feel like game-pass is rewarding both patience and people who doesn't currently have a great library of games for the Xbox, Playstation, PC or Switch ecosystem, or even worse, all of them together. The issue I am experiencing is that every time I am looking into game-pass and the recently added games into its collection, I either already purchased those games on Xbox One / Series X, or that I already have those games on another system.

I was looking into the last 15 games recently added to game-pass and out of those 15, about 6 of them have me interested.

  • Final Fantasy XII Zodiac Age
  • Dirt 5
  • Elite Dangerous
  • Wreckfest
  • Pillar of Eternity II
  • Code Vein
Out of those, only Wreckfest and Code Vein are games that I do not own right now. Still, $15 this month for both Code Vein and Wreckfest seem like it's already worth it, but then I have this tremendous backlog of mine that I struggle to get through so I'm like "it's not worth paying that money if I'm not even going to play them this month". This thought process is basically the exact same one I keep ending up with every time I'm about to pull the trigger. I feel like if there were more games being added that interested me that I didn't currently own, this would convince me much more easily into subscribing. I'm currently playing Yakuza 0 and plan to get through the entire series. It's nice that basically Yakuza 0-1-2-3-4-5 is on game-pass, but someone like me who already has all the games on PS4, there's no value for me to get hyped about it. So yeah, I can definitely see the appeal of getting subscribed to the service if you do not have a backlog / huge library of games that you already possess, but on my end, I'm always pushing my subscription away because there's not enough value in it right now for me and then the cycle continues.

The wise thing to do would probably be to stop purchasing games for a while, probably for more than a year and get though my backlog and then at that point, there would probably be less to look at on my backlog and more to look at in game-pass proposition. Thing is, I'm a bit impatient when it comes to game. More often than not, I want to enjoy games I am hyped about right now and not months later. The redeeming factor regarding game-pass for me is that all first/second party games are supposed to come out on game-pass on day 1 of their release so there's that. Maybe I will pull the trigger for the next big Xbox exclusive. Guess I'll just wait for Halo Infinite.

Anyone else stuck in limbo due to a similar situation?

Update: see post #85
 
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jaysius

Banned
You buy EA Access XBOX for 1 year pass which costs $30 CND it gets converted into 4 months of Gamepass Ultimate, that’s $7.50/month even in Canada. You can do that ad nausem.

Some people even get the crazy “convert to GPU FOR $1” offer multiple times.
 
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I've had it for a while. It's only a good deal if you can't afford to actually buy the games you're really wanting to play and will settle for games that are "good enough".

I own GamePass, PS Now, Switch online, PS+ and Games with Gold. Out of those, the full current collection on PS+ games is easily the best collection of games.

Still, I buy the games I want to play. I dont feel compelled to play games I'm not very interested in just because I'm paying for them via GamePass or PS Now.
 

RAIDEN1

Member
Not really, though if it wasn't for the free trial period that ran at the backend of last-year I probably wouldn't have checked it out..some great games on there- Deliver Us the Moon, Soul Calibur, Wreckfest, currently playing Yakuza Zero on there, haven't got around to Kiwami yet...Forza is enjoyable even though I never brought the latest version...Dirt 5 is good fun...has the motostorm vibe to it...so too is Ace Combat...
 
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Seraphym

Member
I will approach it from another corner, might not convince you.
UK based, most big releases are heavily discounted 3-4 weeks after release and there is always a chance to get a great title for next to nothing. Plus the weekly "Deals with Gold" meant my library has grown and grown.
I didn't drop on Game Pass in the beginning, but went Ultimate in the end for the PC stuff, I have a mid range laptop.
I have been a subscriber since Forza 4, since then I have only bought Borderlands 3, Valhalla, Cyberpunk, Control Ultimate and Man Eater. There is so much stuff hitting the service that I barely ever look at retail.
You soon know what titles or developers will have stuff on Game Pass or not.
Look at your playing habits, and maybe the titles or genres you want are never going to be on it?
Currently hammering Destiny 2 and have Dirt 5 ready for a spin.
Either way, if you have to think about it then it's probably a no...
Enjoy your games either way!
 

MiguelItUp

Member
This is why people are in debt. They keep adding in "that's nothing" monthly charges for a bunch of things they don't need or really want.
Well, that's ONE of the many reasons a lot of people are in debt though, it's just financial irresponsibility.

I mean, if you're just buying subscriptions all willy nilly without taking the total into account then that's a personal problem, lmao.

In the end, it's a price that can equate the cost of a single good meal, but it covers you for an entire month.

You get your 1st month for $1. Just try it out and see.
Exactly! Just try it for yourself and see!
 
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Lone Wolf

Member
Got 3 years of game pass ultimate using the conversion from Gold. After that, i waited for the big sales and got it for half price or better. I do the Microsoft rewards to redeem for money and buy the 2 or three games I want to play that are not on Gamepass Ultimate. I save a lot of money this way. Don’t understand why everyone capable of doing this doesnt jump in immediately. We are only going to see more and more big games hit game Pass. It’s a no brainer.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
Wait until more content rotates in for you. These services play themselves out and its better to get them a few months and drop them until enough fresh content is available.

With your backlog and only 2 games you want off it I'd wait until there is more value.

I'm doing the same with backlog.
 

Concern

Member
I've had it for a while. It's only a good deal if you can't afford to actually buy the games you're really wanting to play...

So considering you own all these subs, its safe to assume you're broke going by your logic. Thanks for sharing that with us.


OP: Just for Wreckfest alone its worth it imo. My issue was the same as far as purchasing games that would then appear on gwg, gamepass, or ps plus. For example, I bought Wreckfest on day one.

Its great to play games I normally wouldn't buy and for the exclusives coming to gamepass. Especially considering the Zenimax acquisition is official now.
 

Skifi28

Member
If $15 per month is an expense someone has to consider, then they probably shouldn't have spent money on a game console to begin with.

Yeah, sure. Poor / unemployed people aren't allowed to have fun with games, they should just look at a wall in their spare time. I think you need to get off your high horse, it's not like we're going though a pandemic right now with millions of people losing their jobs. Even if you do have the money, minor expenses are still worth considering.
 
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Chukhopops

Member
To me the only question is do you have time to play or not? If you do, GP will be good, you will want to try plenty of things and there will be stuff you like out of 400+ games.

If you feel like you already have a huge backlog and little time, then you may not need it. Think of it as any other subscription, I’m sure there are plenty you have and don’t use.
 

Jaybe

Member
If $15 per month is an expense someone has to consider, then they probably shouldn't have spent money on a game console to begin with.
You really missed the OP’s point in your post. They Simply question the value of game pass. It isn’t that they don’t want to spend on games, it is how they spend on games. They have a preference to own the games rather than rent them via game pass and have acquired a lengthy catalog and overlap. $180 a year can go to owning several games at release a year or many more a year if one waits for the sale.

Let’s say there are 45 million Xbox One and Series consoles in total out there. If game pass membership is only 20 million, does this mean 25 million consumers shouldn’t have bought their Xbox?
 
I've had it for a while. It's only a good deal if you can't afford to actually buy the games you're really wanting to play and will settle for games that are "good enough".
Its a good deal for the day 1 indies alone. I buy 99% of my games but I use game pass to try out weird and niche type indie games. This notion that game pass users are poor is absolutely hilarious and reeks of projection.
 

Jaybe

Member
It's a pretty easy solution. Buy a month when a good game from Microsoft comes out. That's it.
This. You don’t need to be continually subscribed. Just jump in when enough content is on the platform that you are interested in playing above your owned games/backlog. When you’ve had your fill, cancel until the next time content builds up. Try to buy with a discounted promo and remember to cancel automatic renewal.
 
With such a low buy in for £1 for the first month , it makes sense to give it a try see what you like and if you still feel the same way just cancel before the months out .
 

THE DUCK

voted poster of the decade by bots
It's totally paid off for me, I'd say get it. You can always cancel later if you don't see value.
It's also really fun to try games you woukd not have, I have found a lot if gems I never would have tried on gamepass.
 

R6Rider

Gold Member
Just subscribe for the months you want to play certain games. I was subscribed for about a year and don't see myself doing it again until more titles from MS studios show up.
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
Game Pass is great.

I can afford to buy whatever I want in terms of video games. It’s not like any single game has a high price ceiling.

Nearly every game on the PS+ Collection is also in the PlayStation Greatest Hits Collection (Uncharted Collection & 4, TLoU Remastered, God of War, Horizon, Ratchet and Clank, Bloodborne etc.) and can all be bought regularly for £7 in the UK. You’d be an idiot to keep a subscription for access to those games.
 
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Ezekiel_

Banned
I've had it for a while. It's only a good deal if you can't afford to actually buy the games you're really wanting to play and will settle for games that are "good enough".

I own GamePass, PS Now, Switch online, PS+ and Games with Gold. Out of those, the full current collection on PS+ games is easily the best collection of games.

Still, I buy the games I want to play. I dont feel compelled to play games I'm not very interested in just because I'm paying for them via GamePass or PS Now.

PlayStation Plus is incredible value for PS players.

The amount AND quality of games given, and the PS+ Collection makes it a must have for PS5 players.

What I prefer about PlayStation Plus is the fact that you get to keep the games, they don't rotation out, so I can play and replay games months or even years after they have been added to my library.

It's also VERY cheap if you go for the 50% off 1 year subscriptions that are frequently on sale on CDKeys.com
 

Antwix

Member
Got 3 years of game pass ultimate using the conversion from Gold. After that, i waited for the big sales and got it for half price or better. I do the Microsoft rewards to redeem for money and buy the 2 or three games I want to play that are not on Gamepass Ultimate. I save a lot of money this way. Don’t understand why everyone capable of doing this doesnt jump in immediately. We are only going to see more and more big games hit game Pass. It’s a no brainer.
This right here. I did the conversion as well but using MS/Bing rewards is great. Takes like 2 minutes a day and I earn enough points to keep game pass ultimate for as long as I want for free. Or sometimes I'll just redeem for gift cards.
 
You get your 1st month for $1. Just try it out and see.

This. You don’t need to be continually subscribed. Just jump in when enough content is on the platform that you are interested in playing above your owned games/backlog. When you’ve had your fill, cancel until the next time content builds up. Try to buy with a discounted promo and remember to cancel automatic renewal.

Just subscribe for the months you want to play certain games. I was subscribed for about a year and don't see myself doing it again until more titles from MS studios show up.


The issues I have with that is that trying game-pass for a dollars automatically converts the rest of my gold subscription to game-pass. You cannot merely pick game-pass for a month or 2 here and there without losing your gold subscription due to the auto-conversion. So if you play online games, it's very hard to pick ultimate 2 months per year without screwing up the longevity of your current gold subscription. This is what stops me from trying it :( If the conversion rate was 1:1, it wouldn't change a thing but it's not. I think it's 3:2, aka 3 months of gold for 2 months of ultimate?
 

CAB_Life

Member
This is why people are in debt. They keep adding in "that's nothing" monthly charges for a bunch of things they don't need or really want.
Well no, objectively $15 for a subscriptive service if it's the only thing you rely on for 90% of your games (like me) is actually great value. People are in debt because they have no impulse control, financial training or responsibility and almost endless streams of credit once they achieve a decent living wage.

Personally I have Netflix, Prime (originally for shipping and now content in Canada) and GamePass, and I play ESO but that's buy to play. That's all our house needs for entertainment.
 
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BigLee74

Member
Can’t you just dip in and out on a monthly basis as you please? If so, no drama. Subscribe when you feel it is worth it.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Can’t you just dip in and out on a monthly basis as you please? If so, no drama. Subscribe when you feel it is worth it.

That's exactly what I do. No sense in staying subscribed all year long. Just jump in when there is something worth playing. I did the same thing with Ubisoft+ last year for Watch Dogs Legion. Thank God I didn't play full price for that turd of a game.
 
Its so many deals out there on different sites, and like someone said the initial $15 even if you paid regular price for the access to the amount of games for just 1 month justifies it in my opinion.

I mean for decades people were renting 1 game for 2-3 days from Blockbuster video for $5-$7 and now we've got folks over analyzing spending $15 for an entire library of games they can play for 30 days :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
I'm sorry but I don't understand the need to analyze something like Gamepass as much as you have. It's $15 per month. That's nothing.
This is example how subscriptions are designed to make less mathematically educated people thinking they are cheap.

That nothing becomes 180$ per year and pretty much 1000$ per lifetime of console.

And all you get is short term rental of games which often rotate after year or two so you can't even be sure they will be still there when you actually want to play them.
 
That's exactly what I do. No sense in staying subscribed all year long. Just jump in when there is something worth playing. I did the same thing with Ubisoft+ last year for Watch Dogs Legion. Thank God I didn't play full price for that turd of a game.
But don't you have a current gold subscription? Or is it that you don't play many multiplayer games? This is what prevents me from trying it. I don't want to be forced to auto-convert my 8+ months of gold for 4-5 months of ultimate.
 
I get you OP. Same boat but it only took me one look to know and not look back.

Game pass doesn't interest me at all. I looked into it but nah.

1. I don't own an Xbox and never have.
2. As long time pc gamer (going back to the 8088 in the 80s) I have learned to not trust M$ on anything but windows and office.

3. As a pc gamer the Windows store is pure crap. No ini files, no mods, games are locked down as you can't even get into the folders. Sometimes you get space taken up even after you remove something. Downloading is a pain in the ass. Forza 7 stopped twice on me and instead of continuing where it stopped I had to re-download the huge download from the start.

4. Owning a ton of games on pc, switch, ps4, ps3, vita, psp, 3ds, retro consoles... There is very little I don't have that I don't already own.

5. I like collecting games. There is a joy (and a sickness) into buying games. Finding them on sales and buying a bunch at once. Steam and eshop sales love when I come around.

6. Those 3rd party games get rotated out. I not some tween/teen with hundreds of hours to play. I get 1 to 2 hours a day to game if I'm lucky. There are people here who beat games in a day or two. I'm not one of them. It sometimes takes weeks as I play a few things and rotate.
If I start a game I want to know it will be there in a month, 2 etc..

7. Already paying too many subs. If I wanted a gaming sub outside of psn/Nintendo online I would go play ff14 or some other mmo.


Maybe if games were on there longer and it used steam or gog for pc I would consider otherwise no thanks.
 
I get you OP. Same boat but it only took me one look to know and not look back.

Game pass doesn't interest me at all. I looked into it but nah.

1. I don't own an Xbox and never have.
2. As long time pc gamer (going back to the 8088 in the 80s) I have learned to not trust M$ on anything but windows and office.

3. As a pc gamer the Windows store is pure crap. No ini files, no mods, games are locked down as you can't even get into the folders. Sometimes you get space taken up even after you remove something. Downloading is a pain in the ass. Forza 7 stopped twice on me and instead of continuing where it stopped I had to re-download the huge download from the start.

4. Owning a ton of games on pc, switch, ps4, ps3, vita, psp, 3ds, retro consoles... There is very little I don't have that I don't already own.

5. I like collecting games. There is a joy (and a sickness) into buying games. Finding them on sales and buying a bunch at once. Steam and eshop sales love when I come around.

6. Those 3rd party games get rotated out. I not some tween/teen with hundreds of hours to play. I get 1 to 2 hours a day to game if I'm lucky. There are people here who beat games in a day or two. I'm not one of them. It sometimes takes weeks as I play a few things and rotate.
If I start a game I want to know it will be there in a month, 2 etc..

7. Already paying too many subs. If I wanted a gaming sub outside of psn/Nintendo online I would go play ff14 or some other mmo.


Maybe if games were on there longer and it used steam or gog for pc I would consider otherwise no thanks.

I respect your opinion but it feels like you do not get me. I see some real potential values in game-pass ultimate. I'm just struggling to press the button due to numerous factors I've discuted in the OP. Even though I wouldn't purchase game-pass on PC because I do not enjoy having my library of PC games split among launchers, this thread isn't about PC game-pass. But I do see see that we share similar challenges, already owning tons of games being one among them.
 
PlayStation Plus is incredible value for PS players.

The amount AND quality of games given, and the PS+ Collection makes it a must have for PS5 players.

What I prefer about PlayStation Plus is the fact that you get to keep the games, they don't rotation out, so I can play and replay games months or even years after they have been added to my library.

It's also VERY cheap if you go for the 50% off 1 year subscriptions that are frequently on sale on CDKeys.com
This.. I have like 300 plus games from psplus. I was there from the start. Have ps3 and psp games going back thag far. It's amazing and they don't go away. If I leave the sun and come back the games I had are still there.

Plus the discounts on games has been amazing over the years. Plus comes with your playstation online account nowadays anyway.
 
This is example how subscriptions are designed to make less mathematically educated people thinking they are cheap.

That nothing becomes 180$ per year and pretty much 1000$ per lifetime of console.

And all you get is short term rental of games which often rotate after year or two so you can't even be sure they will be still there when you actually want to play them.

Let me rephrase: $180 per year is nothing, particularly not for instant access to all of the games available via Gamepass.
 

Topher

Gold Member
But don't you have a current gold subscription? Or is it that you don't play many multiplayer games? This is what prevents me from trying it. I don't want to be forced to auto-convert my 8+ months of gold for 4-5 months of ultimate.

No, I'm on PC so it is probably a lot easier for me since I'm not already invested in an online subscription like Gold. I don't understand the "forced to auto-convert" part, but that conversion ratio would definitely be a concern for me.

I wonder if it might be more advantageous to keep Gold and Game Pass separate so you can jump into GP when you want.

But apparently BusierDonkey BusierDonkey has discovered previously unannounced "perks" to the service that you should consider.

Vegan Pet GIF by John Crist Comedy
 

Chukhopops

Member
I get you OP. Same boat but it only took me one look to know and not look back.

Game pass doesn't interest me at all. I looked into it but nah.

1. I don't own an Xbox and never have.
2. As long time pc gamer (going back to the 8088 in the 80s) I have learned to not trust M$ on anything but windows and office.

3. As a pc gamer the Windows store is pure crap. No ini files, no mods, games are locked down as you can't even get into the folders. Sometimes you get space taken up even after you remove something. Downloading is a pain in the ass. Forza 7 stopped twice on me and instead of continuing where it stopped I had to re-download the huge download from the start.

4. Owning a ton of games on pc, switch, ps4, ps3, vita, psp, 3ds, retro consoles... There is very little I don't have that I don't already own.

5. I like collecting games. There is a joy (and a sickness) into buying games. Finding them on sales and buying a bunch at once. Steam and eshop sales love when I come around.

6. Those 3rd party games get rotated out. I not some tween/teen with hundreds of hours to play. I get 1 to 2 hours a day to game if I'm lucky. There are people here who beat games in a day or two. I'm not one of them. It sometimes takes weeks as I play a few things and rotate.
If I start a game I want to know it will be there in a month, 2 etc..

7. Already paying too many subs. If I wanted a gaming sub outside of psn/Nintendo online I would go play ff14 or some other mmo.


Maybe if games were on there longer and it used steam or gog for pc I would consider otherwise no thanks.
Well in your case it’s pretty damn obvious you don’t need Gamepass, wonder what you even thought about?
 

DaGwaphics

Member
If $15 per month is an expense someone has to consider, then they probably shouldn't have spent money on a game console to begin with.

Hulu gained a notable amount of subscribers when they lowered the price by $2, and Netflix showed some short-term subscriber losses when they upped the price by $1. People place a different value on varying forms of entertainment. Because of that, seemingly insignificant price changes/differences can be important.

Sure, if the decision is between feeding the baby or GP, feed the baby (unless a big new release is coming up). But for most it's not that kind of decision.
 

SLB1904

Banned
Hulu gained a notable amount of subscribers when they lowered the price by $2, and Netflix showed some short-term subscriber losses when they upped the price by $1. People place a different value on varying forms of entertainment. Because of that, seemingly insignificant price changes/differences can be important.

Sure, if the decision is between feeding the baby or GP, feed the baby (unless a big new release is coming up). But for most it's not that kind of decision.
yep. gamepass on pc had a fair price. now isn't worth it. I just subscribe when something i want to play is on it.
 
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