Support NeoGAF

[NickFire]

I am not sure it will materially change how the 3rd party industry monetizes games yet (excluding who devs get paychecks from). I expect every major pub to consider offering something similar, but will any of them have the library to really charge enough to offset sales loss from their newest games? MS has the advantage of its own platform in the console world, and they will not. If they do all go full steam ahead, then I think we will be seeing more and more microtransactions then ever before.

In terms of closing the console sales gap, I am likewise unsure and somewhat skeptical due to lingering questions. I already see value in it if you are someone who enjoys a massive catalogue of older games. And once it starts getting actual big name and current gen games, it might prove too good to resist by the masses. But I am skeptical for a couple reasons still. The first is the lack of knowledge regarding how many current subscribers are really paying full price. MS has released impressive numbers recently, but they are tight lipped about how many of those are paying full price. Retention rate is important data imo. And the bigger question to me is what will the price be once big current gen games start showing up day 1? Can it possibly stay close to the current price point, or will it start creeping close to buying a new game every two months anyway? The third question is what quality of current generation games will really be showing up day 1? One advantage tv / movie services have is you can make and release content much quicker than AAA games. Can MS thread this needle and keep content fresh and high quality is a big question.

So altogether, I think the possibilities are limitless still. We could end up where everyone has an Xbox thanks to GP. We could end up where purchases are a thing of the past even with third parties. We could also end up where GP is a PC service that is essentially a new iteration of Gold on consoles (much higher price for online, but comes with a huge library that you don't still own if you unsub). The only thing I am sure of is that MS is currently winning the subscription race, wherever that road leads.

 

[Thirty7ven]

It will push forward services of its kind, increase competition on that front, and create a bigger race for more industry consolidation.

MS spends 7.5 billion on a publisher because third party publishers either have started asking for more money to put games there and soon enough they will avoid Gamepass and competing services all together as they will bet on their own services.

If the model becomes the expectation, we can also expect that these services will at the same time devalue games and increase the cost of ownership. Expect discounts to become as common as they are for Nintendo games, because that will be the consequence for those who like to own their games.

In the not so distant future we might be looking at a bunch of services, and that subscription money will rack up, and publishers will once again manage to get even more money from costumers than they did in the past.

Expect prices to rise for subscriptions.

What won’t happen are fanboy wet dream scenarios like Gamepass swallowing the whole industry.

On the upside? More shovelware than ever before.

 

[Chukhopops]

I think it's a business model that requires a lot of investment that won't have immediate return and I don't think anyone else has the the same financial capacity as Microsoft to do this. So not sure if it's about feeling pressure.

Others won't be getting into the business because no one can directly compete against Microsoft, they know that MS has money to burn until they gain a large amount of subscribers.

I expect if publishers are going to get into this business, they will most likely integrate their service into Game Pass.

My point is, Nintendo for example could easily do a GP style service where they put their gigantic first party catalogue on a subscription service and it would be massively successful. They would maybe need to implement more VC games but aside from that they wouldn’t need any third party involvement.

But I spend more on Nintendo first party games than I do on GP yearly, and as long as I and others do that there’s no reason for Nintendo to switch their model.

 

[SLB1904]

the same way netflix disney and the other streaming services are affecting cinema. and its just not gamepass. every game subscription crap

 

[HaveButOneLife]

I feel like it pushes digital media a bit too much, if there's value there publishers potentially won't see the value in physical media anymore.

But I see it being more successful and having an even wider selection, and it'll save us even more money. If Microsoft offers Xcloud with it then that'd be even better.

 

[12Dannu123]

My point is, Nintendo for example could easily do a GP style service where they put their gigantic first party catalogue on a subscription service and it would be massively successful. They would maybe need to implement more VC games but aside from that they wouldn’t need any third party involvement.

But I spend more on Nintendo first party games than I do on GP yearly, and as long as I and others do that there’s no reason for Nintendo to switch their model.

Nintendo can easily do a subscription model, the problem is whether they can sustain it, same with Sony, except they need to take into account how their subscription service works in the cloud and that's another piece of the puzzle.

People say that subscription services are easy to copy, but the logistics is the toughest to crack.

 

[Thirty7ven]

The whole “Only MS has the money” is just proof the person saying it doesn’t know shit about business and is nothing more than a fanboy.

Netflix wasn’t Disney when it started. If shareholders and investors feel subscription is the way, money won’t be a problem for companies like Nintendo, Sony, or indeed the Ubisoft’s and EA’s of the world.

Indeed all they need is for the model to prove itself. People who think “cloud” is going to be the primary way people play games in the next 10 years are living in Mars most likely.

 

[Hobbygaming]

I think it'll be bad for Xbox and bad for the industry as a whole if they go in the same direction

 

[Hobbygaming]

The whole “Only MS has the money” is just proof the person saying it doesn’t know shit about business and is nothing more than a fanboy.

Netflix wasn’t Disney when it started. If shareholders and investors feel subscription is the way, money won’t be a problem for companies like Nintendo, Sony, or indeed the Ubisoft’s and EA’s of the world.

Indeed all they need is for the model to prove itself. People who think “cloud” is going to be the primary way people play games in the next 10 years are living in Mars most likely.

Idk. Netflix is in debt by over $10,000,000,000

 

[RAIDEN1]

I think this is where the new "demo scene" is at, games you wouldn't have otherwise had a chance to play or buy this gives you a taster....if it wasn't for GamePass my Xbox-1 wouldn't be getting as much use as the PS4 Pro..shame Sony doesn't have a service like this, where you could also download from the PS2 era...

 

[Jokerevo]

The triple A studios want to sell units not rent their games. So either MS buys everyone or they continue to serve this buffet where only the chicken nuggets are good and everything else is crap.

Meanwhile others vote with their wallets for quality. If its good it will be bought.

No doubt both Sony and Nintendo will be coming up with their own versions of gamepass where their entire back catalogue will be actually worth the money.

The big picture is gamepass becomes Netflix of video games and MS makes the service available on all platforms with an xbox premium tier to tie those exclusives up...that would be the really smart move and allow the service to explode.

 

[Syphon Filter]

It has to remain an option, only worry is if in the future it becomes a norm therefore you don't own the game anymore.

 

[SSfox]

All i care about is to see more great games, with creativity, innovations and cie in VG in all kind of genre of gams. Not interested one bit in some renting random games service.

As for how it will affect gaming, i honestly don't' know and i actually don't care, as long as it doesn't affect gaming in negative way.

 

[Thirty7ven]

Idk. Netflix is in debt by over $10,000,000,000

Exactly. You think they are worried? You haven’t been paying attention.

 

[CatLady]

For now it's good.

When you need like 6 different subscriptions to play all the good games, it's gonna really suck.

No way Sony ,Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc. are not joining in sooner or later and paying big for exclusives. Only one I could see still doing their own thing is Nintendo.

Fortunately since they bought Bethesda, Xbox now has at least 90% of the games I most want to play. With Game Pass I'll also get a lot of interesting indies and some 3rd parties I never would have bought but turn out to be games I end up liking.

 

[onnextflix5]

I dont think ms, will ever make any profit on it, just don't see them getting 50m full price paying customers. I think what they should do is have a dual approach where a new game is sold at retail price for 6 mounths before hitting gamepass.

 

[Hezekiah]

Not in its current form because it's unsustainable, but I expect subscription services to remain in some form or another.

 

[R6Rider]

Worst case scenario is a future of dozens of different subscriptions services, similar to having lots of different launchers to play PC games.

Either way a digital gaming future is going to suck, but people eat that shit up.

 

[Hezekiah]

Ah, exactly what the developers had in mind when they started their 2-5 year process.

This 'it's OK it's on GamePass attitude' will disappear when the service gets a price hike.

At the moment though, yeah it encourages an acceptance of mediocrity - even though for most people time is the most precious commodity!

 

[Jigsaah]

If I'm not wrong, with the exception of FS2020, none of those games were day on Gamepass. They had sales before, only then released on Gamepass. It will be this way for every major third party release outside Microsofts Money hat.

How do these games releasing day and date matter to someone who's never played them before and have never considered purchasing them. It's even an advantage for people who were on the fence but never chose to buy the game. CODE VEIN was exactly that for me. It's a Souls-like so it was already on my radar. I would browse the game's page in the store ultimately deciding not to buy it. Since it's on Gamepass, I have it now and have finished the game and actually thoroughly enjoyed it.

Who cares that it wasn't released on Gamepass day and date. That is reserved for Microsoft's first party games.

 

[DaGwaphics]

GamePass is going to finally rid the world of the toxic experiment that is gaming. That's the hidden agenda.

 

[sainraja]

Valhalla, Grounded, The medium, Gears 5 so far.

Games I wouldnt have been able to afford at launch and would have had to wait for a sale months down the line.

Valhalla is on Game Pass? And Grounded was always available via preview/early access and I don't think it has officially launched yet. The Medium so far is the only new game launch we've seen on Game Pass.

 

[Shmunter]

Valhalla is on Game Pass? And Grounded was always available via preview/early access and I don't think it has officially launched yet. The Medium so far is the only new game launch we've seen on Game Pass.

I mentioned it before, but majority of gamepass users are on Xbox One. There must be a degree of tension trying to feed the service with new content Vs isolating those users from new content if it were to be next gen only. Also applies to xCloud.

Does MS want to push next gen consoles, or have widest Gamepass reach?

 

[bentanchorbolt]

Game Pass is an amazing service and because it exists, I've played (and bought) a ton of games I'd have otherwise not given a chance because I was unwilling to pay the price of entry.

Example: I never played any of the Gears of War games or Halo games outside of CE and 2. In the last two years I co-oped both ENTIRE series and all I was paying was my Game Pass sub. I'd have never done this had Game Pass not been a thing. I ended up putting 1000 hours into Rocket League before it was free-to-play, because Game Pass. I'd have never played that game if not for Game Pass, not in a million years, zero interest.

Anyone that knocks Game Pass is either extremely picky when it comes to the games they play (which is fair), or just a blind and jealous hater. It's a tremendous service that is already great and will only get better with time.

 

[HotPocket69]

Game Pass is a proven breeding ground for mediocrity.

And Budget Gamers

Fortunately I’m fortunate enough to have enough disposable income that I can give hardworking devs my money without feeling like a phony cheapskate

 

[sainraja]

I mentioned it before, but majority of gamepass users are on Xbox One. There must be a degree of tension trying to feed the service with new content Vs isolating those users from new content if it were to be next gen only. Also applies to xCloud.

Does MS want to push next gen consoles, or have widest Gamepass reach?

I wasn't suggesting that content needs to be locked by console. I thought we were discussing new game launches and I wouldn't consider Grounded exactly new. You can count it if you want to count it but I don't think that game does the service any favors!

But their plan for releasing new MS studio games on Game Pass will ultimately become being next gen only, only because at some point, as they have shown with The Medium, compatibility will become a factor but wasn't my point.

 

[longdi]

i see GPU influence like a combine of psx move from cart to cd and og xbox launch of xbl service.

imo it will be big and copied by the rest of the gaming industry, if they haven't started already

 

[cdthree]

Third party studios would end up offering their games for free on the various streaming services. The platform holders would have to give them a modest upfront monetary compensation for development. That would help stabilize studio's risk and mean smaller size games at launch. Third party studios would make their bonus money on the large DLC's and cosmetic DLC's. Which could be end being bigger than selling it at retail. Games like TES 6 and Halo Infinite would be around for a decade or more and be actively developed for and have constant new content available. Like Elder Scrolls Online or Final Fantasy 14? Somewhat like Microsoft wants to do with Windows. No more hassle of trying to get that new IP to be successful. Not sure where that leaves independent publishers, probably Sony and Nintendo buying them out.

 

[BusierDonkey]

It's clearly going to be the end of the entire gaming industry. Because of Gamepass within a couple years we'll have to line up to suck Phil's dick just for the privilege of playing a video game from one of the 300 studios they will have acquired using their ill-gotten funds. For access to the DLC we'll have to drink the gravy too.

It's dark times ahead all due to the nefarious and evil Xbox corporation.

 

[12Dannu123]

I mentioned it before, but majority of gamepass users are on Xbox One. There must be a degree of tension trying to feed the service with new content Vs isolating those users from new content if it were to be next gen only. Also applies to xCloud.

Does MS want to push next gen consoles, or have widest Gamepass reach?

The way around it is upgrading XCloud to XSX servers and releasing XCloud on XB1 consoles.

 

[Shmunter]

The way around it is upgrading XCloud to XSX servers and releasing XCloud on XB1 consoles.

Yes, that's the obvious bridge between the two.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

With all the money they are spending and the $1 3 month subs I don't see it going anywhere.

It needs casuals to be the Netflix of gaming and casuals don't play on Xbox or PC

Casuals buy Nintendo and Playstation devices.

 

[Iced Arcade]

Gamepass is amazing for consumers. Also great for developers who might have a game that isn't a proven IP that people aren't keen on throwing money at. I've tried and enjoyed so many games that I would have never gave a second look at if it wasn't for gamepass.


My only fear: does it get so big that they offer subscriptions within subscriptions like Amazon. Pay for gamepass and get these handful of games and then pay x amount to subscribe to the Bethesda Channel", "Ubisoft channel" etc. (No evidence that would happen but would be surprised if that is the game plan)

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

Honestly curious.. what game launches have you been able to be a part of because of GamePass?

^He is probably talking about The Medium ...

As for the topic, It all comes down to how good the exclusive games will be in game pass.

People have no problem paying more money for good games. That’s why Sony isn’t rushing to compete with game pass because they know people will pay $70 to play the new god of war, last of us, ghost of tsunami, etc. with no problems.

MS now has more first party studios but they have to start actually delivering great games for the service to really take off imo.

 

[McCheese]

It'll change how games are designed and will end up being a negative.

Netflix for example mostly funds tv series content, it's very rare they fund a blockbuster movie as that doesn't encourage repeat subscribers.

With gaming you'll get very few single player AAA RPG games under a subscription model, and more games will have a software as a service approach with episodic content and lots of DLC and microtransactions to encourage further spending.

You already see this happening with shitty filler games like Bleeding Edge, games that are not given the budget to reach their full potential as they just need to fill an empty month in the gamepass roster, games that are forced to shoehorn in DLC and cosmetics so they can attempt to fund it into a complete game post gamepass launch.

Sea of thieves for example could have been an amazing action adventure game but instead is a basic pirate mmo with the depth of a fidget spinner.

 

[GhostOfTsu]

Will just mean im not spending £70 on a game ill play for a few weeks complete and never go back to

Also the fact im not spending £70 on being a guinea pig for unfinished games

This shit again. As if every single game is 70$. I can open any store and there are dozens of pages of games on sale, none of them at 70$.

Can you even name 1 60$ new release on Gamepass right now? I can't and yet that's all you hear about. Even the Bethesda games they are adding were giveaways or 5$ before.

 

[Derktron]

It'll change how games are designed and will end up being a negative.

So what about games that have MTX and Season Pass and other bullshit that is pushed upon with gamers? Programs like Gamepas and maybe a Sony-made Gamepass won't affect a damn thing. Also, TV and Movies are totally different. Try again.

 

[Burnttips]

I tried GP and I hated downloading a game and finding out I hated it. So many downloads and such little success. They all seemed like old titles or B grade games. How many AAA launch games has GP had?

 

[GhostOfTsu]

I tried GP and I hated downloading a game and finding out I hated it. So many downloads and such little success. They all seemed like old titles or B grade games. How many AAA launch games has GP had?

Forza Horizon 4, Crackdown 3 and Gears 5 but you would think it's all of them if you listen to these dummies. They are now always on sale at 10$ or less.

I've had Dishonored since 2014 as a giveaway on GWG and now they're all creaming their pants because it's coming on GP.

Shills.

 

[Burnttips]

Forza Horizon 4, Crackdown 3 and Gears 5 but you would think it's all of them if you listen to these dummies. They are now always on sale at 10$ or less.

I've had Dishonored since 2014 as a giveaway on GWG and now they're all creaming their pants because it's coming on GP.

Shills.

You hear a lot about GP but you don't hear about how bad most of the games are. I had Sega Channel back in the day and when it worked it was great for a couple of months. After that I sat waiting for the new games. 95% of them sucked and it became more economical for me to just read the game mags and get something that really interested me.

 

[longdi]

GPU is still awesome with the 3 years XBL Gold conversion. we're underpaying for games on GPU

 

[Little Chicken]

Once Sony make their own version of Gamepass (and they will imo), all these 'concerns' will drift away in the wind.

Game Pass has almost been around for four years already, I don't think Sony has the will to ape the platform and seem happy to double down on their PS+ offerings.

PS Now has had 4 years to compete and they really haven't bothered doing much with it.

 

[ToadMan]

The concept will impact gaming the same way as Netflix impacted viewing.

It’ll be the thing you do when there’s nothing else better to do. If there aren’t any real AAA games around you’ll surf GP for some indies or the tired rotation of old games.

After a few years you’ll realise that you’ve spent money on a subscription, don’t own the content and could have bought and owned many interesting pieces of software with the money instead.

But then apathy will set in, you’ll keep paying and enjoy yet another indie game for 6 hours while waiting for real AAA games to come. Which strangely will become less and less frequent...

Renting anything is basically a waste of money - the only people who rent are those too poor to afford to buy and they usually recognise it’s a bad deal. If that’s you - so poor you can’t afford buy games - I’d suggest you limit gaming to older stuff (you can buy cheaper than a subscription anyway) save the subscription fee and focus on saving your money.

I don’t subscribe to anything these days. Maybe once every few months I’ll sign up to HBO or whatever and catch up on any new stuff. Otherwise just get rid of it - waste of money and time. Game subscriptions are the same.

The secondary problem will be that subscriptions become shoe horned into places they don’t fit ... ultimately you’ll end up paying more to only rent. Yesterday Paradxo said they’re making CK2 a subscription service! $5 a month! Crazy.

 

[phil_t98]

For widest gamepass reach, games need to be cross gen. Building a portfolio of next gen only games will invalidate the service for Xone users. How do you treat that? Discount? Sub numbers would fall and bad sentiment rise.

Xcloud is also limited to last gen and needs new content regularly.

yeah exactly the same with PSNow

 

[Shmunter]

yeah exactly the same with PSNow

For all the 5 people that use it that must be disheartening

 

[phil_t98]

Idk. Netflix is in debt by over $10,000,000,000

Serviceable debt though, look at the money from subs per month. Wh spend your own money on content when people are willing to loan you it and spread the cost

 

[phil_t98]

For all the 5 people that use it that must be disheartening

2 million, it’s Sony version of gamepass ain’t it

 

[Hitchyhero]

For now it's good.

When you need like 6 different subscriptions to play all the good games, it's gonna really suck.

No way Sony ,Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc. are not joining in sooner or later and paying big for exclusives. Only one I could see still doing their own thing is Nintendo.

Luckily, your prayers have already been answered. Your not forced to subscribe, and their are other ways of accuiring gaming (much like Netflix) by purchasing a disc or downloading it from a digital store.

 

[Hitchyhero]

It will push forward services of its kind, increase competition on that front, and create a bigger race for more industry consolidation.

MS spends 7.5 billion on a publisher because third party publishers either have started asking for more money to put games there and soon enough they will avoid Gamepass and competing services all together as they will bet on their own services.

If the model becomes the expectation, we can also expect that these services will at the same time devalue games and increase the cost of ownership. Expect discounts to become as common as they are for Nintendo games, because that will be the consequence for those who like to own their games.

In the not so distant future we might be looking at a bunch of services, and that subscription money will rack up, and publishers will once again manage to get even more money from costumers than they did in the past.

Expect prices to rise for subscriptions.

What won’t happen are fanboy wet dream scenarios like Gamepass swallowing the whole industry.

On the upside? More shovelware than ever before.

Can you name one industry that this hasn't happened in? It's alright saying this, but can you put a rough date on it, because if its endless or 50+ years your guaranteed to be right at some point.

Why isn't there the same level of prices rise concern for PS first party games and Netflix/HBO, Disney+ subs, all of which have gone up in the past few months.... But god forbid MS does it with GP in the next decade we will get endless 'told you so' posts.

 

[mxbison]

Luckily, your prayers have already been answered. Your not forced to subscribe, and their are other ways of accuiring gaming (much like Netflix) by purchasing a disc or downloading it from a digital store.

Huh? There is plenty of exclusive stuff on Netflix or other services that you can't get anywhere else.

Only a matter of time until we get the same in gaming.