Support NeoGAF

[Sethbacca]

I aint missing games lke Starfield, Fable, Avowed, Halo, Perfect Dark, Gears, Killer Instinct, Elder Scrolls , Fallout, State Of Decay 3, Outer Worlds 2 and Hellblade II.

You can't really make the assertion that there's nothing coming better than these games when most of your list doesn't exist outside of a CG teaser video. I mean, we would expect them to be good but you know what that gets....

 

[DragonNCM]

and yet. they keep missing the mark.

Only time will tell if they are missing or not. If FTC give pass (and they will probably) we may see game changing benefit next years from MS.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Only time will tell if they are missing or not. If FTC give pass (and they will probably) we may see game changing benefit next years from MS.

not really.

Some People don't see how hard the road is for MS/Xbox. regardless of acquisitions.

 

[semiconscious]

game pass + series s = xbox saved!...

game pass + series x wouldn't have done this...

 

[twilo99]

No, xbox is doomed. No games.

 

[Pelta88]

How is it possible for a service which Microsoft said will only ever bring in 15% of XBOX revenue, to save XBOX?

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I hope people pick up the sarcasm and parody in the OP but something tells me certain folks are going to take the question seriously

 

[Vasto]

You can't really make the assertion that there's nothing coming better than these games when most of your list doesn't exist outside of a CG teaser video. I mean, we would expect them to be good but you know what that gets....

That is just 1st party.

 

[lh032]

Yeah thats why they survived the past 20 years in the gaming scene... Try harder please.

Survived? Microsoft almost close down Xbox long time ago, they are struggling until Phil comes up with gamepass.

 

[Sethbacca]

That is just 1st party.

That doesn't change the fact that we've seen literally nothing from most of these games outside of a teaser trailer with no actual gameplay....... I hope they're good, I have both systems, but who the hell knows at this point.

 

[Syphon Filter]

I don't like gamepass since you don't own the games.

 

[kazuyamishima]

Yes.

Both Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite released at the end of 2021 and failed to make the top 20 NPD Charts, in other regions, same story.

 

[Riky]

It's a brilliant service, I normally buy the games I like later when discounted, so get to play the game day one and save a lot of money when purchased, which pays for Gamepass and access to all the other games and online play, perfect.
When they get COD on the service is when it could really take off with the mainstream.

 

[FunkMiller]

Absolutely. Xbox would be a fucking wasteland without it. As it stands though, I use my Series X as much as my Ps5.

 

[KungFucius]

As a PC gamer first, console gamer for exclusives, I bought an Xbone at launch and sold it after buying 2 games used. I now sub to gamepass on PC. So for gamers like me gamepass is pure revenue that they wouldn't get otherwise. Though if the Xbone was as good as the 360 and if their games were not on PC, I might have another dust collecting console I bought for some exclusives.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Short answer: yes. Game Pass saved Xbox.

 

[twilo99]

Essential for Xbox owners. Not so much for others.

It's becoming essential for my PC as well... I haven't bought a single game on steam ever since I subscribed. Loads of entertaiment on there.

 

[Vasto]

That doesn't change the fact that we've seen literally nothing from most of these games outside of a teaser trailer with no actual gameplay....... I hope they're good, I have both systems, but who the hell knows at this point.

I am speaking for me, not We've.

Dont need to see gameplay. Nobdy needs to see gameplay from Woverine and Spiderman 2, you already know you getting fire. They did not need gameplay from God Of War Ragnarok when they only revealed a logo.

That lineup of games is amazing and its only the begining.

 

[phant0m]

INCOMING HOT TAKE:

I think XSX/S will be the last traditional consoles MS ships. For next-gen they plow full-forward with XGP, lean more into publishing and the only hardware is a Roku/appleTV-like streaming device.

Could be wrong, but I don’t think the economics are there for R&D and taking loss on hardware sales when they can just get people to play their games elsewhere.

 

[Roberts]

I used to spend way too much money on the movies so I barely ever bought games anyway so Game Pass is pretty much responsible for pulling me back into gaming. The funny thing is that I spend way more on games now than ever before.

 

[Matsuchezz]

Xbox still sucks! so, No.
I bought a Series X for my big brother with gamepass subscription and he has been having a blast. But he has always liked games that suck so. It is alright I guess.

 

[simpatico]

I think it's the killer app in the "console/console games but on PC" market. It's just a matter of Microsoft being able to lose money funding it for long enough to pull away Sony's market share.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

No. But it's a solid offering. So is the competition.

The quantity of AAA games they lack and troubled dev environment is more alarming and that's not new.

Gamepass doesn't make it more than the software.

 

[Neo_game]

I don't think so. Some people do think SS and GP is helping Microsoft but if that is the case then PS5 is actually selling SX literally 2.5x which is just as worse than last time. They need to make good game and sell more SX. IMO SS and GP will not work.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Xbox would be a far weaker gaming brand today without Game Pass. Pure and simple. It is that much of a game changer in how you look at Xbox. Sure, I would still think the games coming are top notch, but Game Pass changes your willingness just to go and try a lot more games in general. It makes it so you don't even need to buy the ones you really want.

 

[Chronicle]

Do you disagree with the things I stated? They're all true.

 

[Chronicle]

Dude. The only guy that was hyped about kinect was Don Mattrick.

Nah. Not even close. Gamers had that so hyped it wasn't even funny. What a joke.

 

[The_Mike]

Nah. Not even close. Gamers had that so hyped it wasn't even funny. What a joke.

We must have been in the different parts of the Internet.

Everyone at Gaf and Reddit laughed at how utterly stupid the kinect TV thing was. Literally no one was hyped about it which also caused the exodus.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I think Gamepass was beneficial and detrimental to XBOX. Beneficial because it’s a good service especially for gamers who want a big selection of games for a subscription price and it gave games that wouldn’t have sold well or made money, a chance to make income for companies.

Detrimental because most game sales were already low on XBOX to my knowledge and having games on a rental service basically made XBOX gamers even less likely to purchase and support games. Also, I think the subscription service will be harmful to large budget, ambitious games that cost a significant amount of money.

 

[Pedro Motta]

I wouldn’t have bought my Series X if Gamepass didn’t exist.

 

[Hoppa]

If it weren’t for Gamepass I would never have bought one. Xbox’s 2022 without Gamepass would have been unacceptable

 

[Chronicle]

We must have been in the different parts of the Internet.

Everyone at Gaf and Reddit laughed at how utterly stupid the kinect TV thing was. Literally no one was hyped about it which also caused the exodus.

I want what you're smokin dude. This place was so hyped for that piece of trash it made you want to puke. That's the problem with ms. They sell wolf tickets and snake oil. I hope starfield is a good game. Bethesda games usually are. But man they say things that the gamers just eat the fuck up!

 

[Ansphn]

Yes but it's just a bandage to put over a gun shot wound. It can only hold for so long. Xbox will be dead after this gen if they don't release system/service selling games.

 

[j.k.2021]

It did.Even Microsoft only started buying studios for Xbox after they saw potential of game pass.Before that, Xbox division was tight on money which was apparent by lack of exclusive content deals.

 

[j.k.2021]

Game pass is the only reason Xbox fans don't riot despite no AAA release in 2022.It keeps people fed.

 

[Robb]

To me it kinda has. I had no interest in Xbox prior to GamePass and it’s all I use on the Series X. For better or worse I haven’t purchased a single title on the system since launch. It has been pretty darn great!

We’ll see how long they can keep it going though, I imagine they’ll be raising prices etc. as soon as they get to a comfortable level in term of users.

 

[Rhazkul]

Gamepass is great. Glad its on PC tho; no need for their hardware.

True. If you own a gaming PC, you basically own an Xbox.
But vice versa? That doesn't work so well.

 

[Rhazkul]

For better or worse I haven’t purchased a single title on the system since launch.

For worse, i'd say. I see the gamepass as an extended demo platform. In the end i like owning the games i enjoy, so i could replay them without time restrictions. Gamepass has this stupid feature of rotating games in and out of the catalogue. So, you either focus on a single game if you wanna finish it and have constant FOMO, or you end up buying the game eventually.

 

[Robb]

For worse, i'd say.

Yeah probably, in the long run.

So, you either focus on a single game if you wanna finish it and have constant FOMO, or you end up buying the game eventually.

I’ve been using it for about 2 years now and haven’t had this issue personally. I usually have 2-3 games going at a time.

I feel like games stay on the service for a surprisingly long time before rotating tbh.

 

[ahtlas7]

Xbox: The Gamepass
They could probably scrap the hardware department at this point.

 

[Benniewise de Clown]

Didn't Spencer come out and say that while profitable, GamePass isn't enough to keep Xbox sustainable?

 

[j.k.2021]

Xbox would be screwed big time without game pass.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

Dude. The only guy that was hyped about kinect was Don Mattrick.

dont forget this guy:

to be fair, apparently prototype kinect was 1000x better than final product kinect.
to be even fairer, kinect was always stupid.

 

[BadBurger]

While Game Pass is indisputably great, PlayStation Premium, with its vast catalog and games available for streaming, now gives it a serious run for its money. For someone like me who only plays maybe five or six individual new games a year, and missed out on like 80% of the PS360 gen and 50% of PS4, it's really great. Others who game more will probably want to fart in my mouth for making such a claim - I understand and don't blame you.

That said, Game Pass remains basically the chief reason to own a new Xbox, and I think Microsoft needs to work hard to change that outlook. I know that they're pushing hard to get their vast array of studios to complete the games they're working on, but in the meantime I think they could do other things. PlayStation / Sony very often money hats exclusive content and gated release windows. Microsoft could do the same. I realize they were burned in the past for doing that (remember Tomb Raider?). But who cares? This is competition baby. Make me want to buy a Xbox Series X for the living room. Make me want to get back into the Xbox ecosystem alongside my PlayStation.

 

[64bitbros]

Yes and no. It gave Xbox a fresh start. It revitalized the Xbox name and left the Xbox One stigma behind.
But Gamepass has also tanked 3rd party/indie game sales on the platform. Teaching your customers to "wait for it to go on GP" is a thing.
Running Gamepass has come at a great cost for MS. Reducing sales that cuts into the 30% and having 1st party games day one on GP is a mighty high price.
Losing that day one sale will hurt.

 

[ManaByte]

But Gamepass has also tanked 3rd party/indie game sales on the platform.

Citation needed.

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

INCOMING HOT TAKE:

I think XSX/S will be the last traditional consoles MS ships. For next-gen they plow full-forward with XGP, lean more into publishing and the only hardware is a Roku/appleTV-like streaming device.

Could be wrong, but I don’t think the economics are there for R&D and taking loss on hardware sales when they can just get people to play their games elsewhere.

Streaming can never replace a physical game device in its entirety. Many have tried already, but streaming has an inherent flaw that no amount of technology can go around. And that is latency.

It would be shunned by the competitive crowd, which means less than adequate support for some of the biggest franchises. Then again, foresight on this is precisely why MS bought (or is trying to buy) COD.

Contrary to what some may think, I don't believe GP kills off loss reading high-performance hardware from MS.If anything, I believe it does the exact opposite. Having a massive 50-70M (hopefully eventually) GP annual subscribers would allow them to be able to greatly subsidize the hardware. I expect that come-nextgen, we will see standalone consoles that cost around $700/$800 with an option to buy as locked versions for $200 but require a GP/PS+ subscription to even work.

 

[Batiman]

Well it makes me play more on Xbox than PlayStation. Not sure who’s making more money off me though. Pretty equal I’d say

 

[Sid Of Bee]

The controller and Game Pass are the main reasons Xbox is my main console. I play PS and Nintendo systems for exclusives. And PC has always been a thing for me too... For new hardware, mods, "PC style" games etc.

Not one system satisfies all my gaming needs

It's honestly kind of strange lol.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Honestly without a ton of door busting exclusives, Game Pass was the way to go. Such a smart call IMO as well. I was always a fan of them providing multiple options for their players. Even when they announced the XSX and XSS. I think they knew GP could be a risk, but it could also work in their favor. They knew what they were doing.

It may not be for everyone, but I think it's doing a lot of good for more devs than harm, hands down.