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[Unknown Soldier]

Most people obviously don't know or don't care that Palworld is actually a Day 1 Gamepass title, judging from how the Steam version ($27 until 1/25) has now sold over 4 million copies in 3 days and hit a peak of over 1.2 million concurrent players. This is an obvious challenge for Microsoft, how can they make anybody other than Xbox owners care about Gamepass? PC gamers do not care about Gamepass, this has been an issue for MS for years now.

Every gaming laptop you buy today and both Nvidia and AMD retail boxed GPU's come bundled with free 3 months of PC Gamepass and I don't know that anyone ever bothers to try it even when it's free judging from a game like Palworld's performance. Even Starfield ended up doing $235 million in sales on Steam and I'm willing to guess that the number of PC Gamepass players of Starfield was basically zero.

MS has been pushing Gamepass as the future of gaming and quite honestly looking at Palworld, gamers do not care. MS thinks they can also get Gamepass on cloud streaming and mobile, and I can guarantee you that mobile gamers do not want to play a laggy streamed version of Halo Infinite on their phones. That's so far outside the mobile market preferences that it's almost hilarious that MS thinks this will be a thing.

Outside of the extremely small install base of Xbox consoles, no one cares about Gamepass. And that means that Gamepass will never be able to grow in any meaningful way. I think MS quietly knows this, which is why Satya Nadella removed Gamepass growth and sub numbers from his own performance metrics.

 

[IFireflyl]

The issue with Game Pass on PC is that it requires Microsoft Store, and it makes modding more difficult by locking down the game installs to a protected Windows folder game executable. Until Microsoft lets go of their own storefront and partners with third-party storefronts, Game Pass won't take off on PC.

 

[Xcell Miguel]

The issue with Game Pass on PC is that it requires Microsoft Store, and it makes modding more difficult by locking down the game installs to a protected Windows folder. Until Microsoft lets go of their own storefront and partners with third-party storefronts, Game Pass won't take off on PC.

It's been years that the games on the MS Store are not in a protected folder anymore... You can edit files and replace them.
Starfield and many games are almost as moddable as Steam or other versions, as long as it does not inject things in the executable or something like that.

I play Starfield on the MS Store version and have installed many mods, I don't need the Steam version.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

The issue with Game Pass on PC is that it requires Microsoft Store, and it makes modding more difficult by locking down the game installs to a protected Windows folder. Until Microsoft lets go of their own storefront and partners with third-party storefronts, Game Pass won't take off on PC.

This shit hasn't been true forever, the xboxgames folder is unprotected, only the exes are protected, so drag and drop mods, scripts don't

 

[Shatohin]

I love PC Gamepass store because I can play Starfield and many other games with cross save between my PC and TV Xbox. Depends on my mood I can play on a couch or at the desk.

 

[IFireflyl]

It's been years that the games on the MS Store are not in a protected folder anymore... You can edit files and replace them.
Starfield and many games are almost as moddable as Steam or other versions, as long as it does not inject things in the executable or something like that.

I play Starfield on the MS Store version and have installed many mods, I don't need the Steam version.

Thanks for the update. I edited my post.

This shit hasn't been true forever, the xboxgames folder is unprotected, only the exes are protected, so drag and drop mods, scripts don't

Calm down, defense force. I edited my post, but the point itself still stands.

 

[Punished Miku]

MS really blew it getting this on GP.

 

[CoreyFlawless]

I’m sure there just a many or lot of ppl
Playing it on Xbox/pc game pass. It helps to have more ppl playing and talking about it.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Calm down, defense force. I edited my post, but the point itself still stands.

Spreads blatant misinformation.
Gets corrected
Instead of saying ok, gets triggered and tells others to calm down and follows up with an ad hominem.

Classy as always.

 

[knguyen]

I have this weird mentality where even though the game is available on gamepass, I still want to buy it on steam. Hitman 3 for example . Something about gamepass service that leaves an incomplete feeling in me. It goes without saying that once my subs end (got it through the conversion trick), I won't be renewing.

 

[Halo is Back]

Ya'll really are obsessed with GamePass.

 

[MirageMew2]

FYI PalWorld on GamePass isn’t even the same version as the Steam release. I bought GPU just to try it on Xbox and it’s absolute dogshit, compressed audio and you can’t even name your character on this build.

 

[Crayon]

Might still be big on gp but gp isn't big enough to kill the sales and hopefully never will be.

 

[IFireflyl]

Spreads blatant misinformation.
Gets corrected
Instead of saying ok, gets triggered and tells others to calm down and follows up with an ad hominem.

Classy as always.

Information that used to be true but has since changed isn't "blatant misinformation". I wasn't aware of the change to this, but my overall point (that modding is more difficult with Game Pass) didn't change. Quit acting like a pansy.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I have this weird mentality where even though the game is available on gamepass, I still want to buy it on steam. Hitman 3 for example . Something about gamepass service that leaves an incomplete feeling in me. It goes without saying that once my subs end (got it through the conversion trick), I won't be renewing.

You're like most PC gamers then, who ignore Gamepass even if they know it exists. For a game like Palworld which you might be playing long term, why would you pay an ongoing sub for access when you can just buy it once and play as long as you like? If this thing ends up having Monster Hunter or ARK legs, you might be playing it for years. Imagine paying a Gamepass sub for years just to access this game LOL

FYI PalWorld on GamePass isn’t even the same version as the Steam release. I bought GPU just to try it on Xbox and it’s absolute dogshit, compressed audio and you can’t even name your character on this build.

Palworld dev explains Steam and Xbox differences, missing features: "We're really at the mercy of the certification here"

Here's why some important features are missing from Palworld on Xbox and Game Pass.

www.windowscentral.com

Looks like this is a known issue, but it also isn't. Timely patching is being held up by MS certification, but also the Steam and Gamepass/Xbox builds will forever be different and not feature aligned due to platform differences. People don't really realize that PC is a shared hardware base with numerous different platforms. Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, EA/Origin, Microsoft Store/Gamepass are all basically different platforms! Steam Deck doesn't even run Windows underneath, but it's the same Steam as Windows PC!

 

[poppabk]

The cognitive dissonance about this selling like hot cakes while still being on gamepass has been very enjoyable.

 

[Sakura]

I'd rather pay 27 dollars once and have the game forever (or at least until Steam shuts down or something) vs only having access to the game as long as I am paying MS money each month. I'm not sure MS can do anything here to entice me to switch over.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Information that used to be true but has since changed isn't "blatant misinformation". I wasn't aware of the change to this, but my overall point (that modding is more difficult with Game Pass) didn't change. Quit acting like a pansy.

If it's not true then it's blatant misinformation, it doesn't matter if you're aware of it or not, you didn't bother fact checking, and I see you can't stop with the ad hominem, pathetic.
All you had to do was say ok thanks didn't know, anyway...., but you are clearly incapable of having a normal conversation, so have a good day and I hope you won't get so triggered again in the future.

 

[ManaByte]

Information that used to be true but has since changed isn't "blatant misinformation". I wasn't aware of the change to this, but my overall point (that modding is more difficult with Game Pass) didn't change. Quit acting like a pansy.

Except it’s not more difficult.

 

[IFireflyl]

If it's not true then it's blatant misinformation, it doesn't matter if you're aware of it or not, you didn't bother fact checking, and I see you can't stop with the ad hominem, pathetic.
All you had to do was say ok thanks didn't know, anyway...., but you are clearly incapable of having a normal conversation, so have a good day and I hope you won't get so triggered again in the future.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

I'm not the one who's triggered or keeps acting like an ass so no , again good day and I hope you get better.

 

[Sacred]

Just the same sad and tired argument, why do you hate that people enjoy gamepass. I don't want to pay full price everytime I try a new game and I get to experience way more games now a days then I ever would in the past. Grow up and let the fanboy logic go.

 

[IFireflyl]

Except it’s not more difficult.

You can't alter the executables. That makes modding more difficult. There are Baldur's Gate 3 mods that modify the executable. That can't happen with Game Pass games. Your claim is incorrect.

I'm not the one who's triggered or keeps acting like an ass so no , again good day and I hope you get better.

 

[adamsapple]

Most people obviously don't know or don't care that Palworld is actually a Day 1 Gamepass title, judging from how the Steam version ($27 until 1/25) has now sold over 4 million copies in 3 days and hit a peak of over 1.2 million concurrent players

Because the game is doing well on Steam, you assume that means people don't know or care that it's on Game Pass?

What kind of a bullshit correlation is that lol.

 

[Raonak]

I think the appeal of "Free games!" has completely died down.

People have too many games to play as it is. Especially on an open platform like PC.

I know that me personally, I download a ton of free gamepass/PS+ games that I just never even touch, or stop playing within half an hour.

The people who are actually interested in the game would rather just buy it outright than having to subscribe.

 

[LRKD]

I think, in this case the real problem is they didn't know this game was going to blow up the way it did. IF xbox knew, they would have promoted the game and made sure people knew it was on gamepass.

 

[Clintizzle]

Even the dumbasses at Microsoft know that you are just not going to win a battle with Steam in the PC space. They have probably accepted that GP will never overtake Steam as the preferred storefront on GP.

Is Microsoft mad about this? Most likely.
Should the average consumer care about this? Nope
So who benefits from GP? The subscribers.
So who is negatively affected by GP? No one.

 

[Spitfire098]

Because the game is doing well on Steam, you assume that means people don't know or care that it's on Game Pass?

What kind of a bullshit correlation is that lol.

Wouldn't it be showing up on the top 50 games played on xbox?

Most played games - Microsoft Store

 

[mcjmetroid]

I mean palworld is a cheap game so there's that too. I think for the price people would rather just buy the thing.

 

[AALLx]

The cognitive dissonance about this selling like hot cakes while still being on gamepass has been very enjoyable.

There is no congnitive dissonance, and the result is blaringly obvious, even with Starfield:

• GamePass kills software sales on console, because only console users care about GamePass
• PC users don't give a shit about GamePass, so software sales are healthly on the platform, even if the game is available on GamePass (this was highly evident with Starfield, which topped Steam sales chart for 2 weeks)

 

[adamsapple]

Wouldn't it be showing up on the top 50 games played on xbox?

Most played games - Microsoft Store

That's updated once a few days, not updated frequently like Steam.

Check back later.

 

[Smether]

It is crazy to me that this game is selling so hard despite being on Gamepass also. Part of it is marketing, part of it is also that this is a nice game for Steam deck so some folks will just want the native Steam version.

 

[Xion_Stellar]

I think the appeal of "Free games!" has completely died down.

People have too many games to play as it is. Especially on an open platform like PC.

I know that me personally, I download a ton of free gamepass/PS+ games that I just never even touch, or stop playing within half an hour.

The people who are actually interested in the game would rather just buy it outright than having to subscribe.

The appeal has never been there for me to begin with I mean sure I will add the free games to my library on PS+ every month but like you mentioned my backlog is already big enough on PC/PS to not warrant any real need for these free games. I don't really want these free games and I don't really need them but if they ever stop giving them away I raise some hell.

 

[Exentryk]

Gamepass is great for the consumer. I only subscribe when I want to play a game, and then unsubscibe after. So, yeah, it's great for me and I don't want this service going away.

Also, people try the game on Gamepass, and then buy it after on other platforms if they really like it. So in a way, some of these sales on Steam might be coming after Gamepass "trials". Do we have figures on how many downloads this game has on Gamepass?

 

[LordOcidax]

Ohh the Gamepass/Doomed thread of the day.

 

[GigaBowser]

AI will just steels games in the futuristic days there will bee no more develorpers just AI

I am known for my industry predicitions

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Wouldn't it be showing up on the top 50 games played on xbox?

Most played games - Microsoft Store

Careful there, you're going to derail the narrative they are trying to establish

 

[Arsic]

Without GP I wouldn’t have downloaded it lol.

So many amazing games on gamepass. As a PC player I find it has the best value for me.

Last year I got to play day one without needing to buy:

Cocoon
Hi fi rush
Starfield
Lies of P
Yakuza Man Who Erased His Name

Just a few I can think off. At $120 a year for the service I saved a shit ton and got to play games I would’ve ignored. And that’s not all I played and downloaded too. Forza, plus games for my son, and much more.

Hating on gamepass as a pc player is pure retarded.

 

[Freelance Yakuza]

Let me tell you something:

I got Halo MCC on Game Pass when it became available. In some cutscenes of Halo 3, the sound and subtitles were desynchronized.

I decided to get it on Steam (can't remember exactly why), and guess what? It did not have those issues.

It blows my mind how Xbox's biggest IP wasn't running as smoothly in their own store as it does on Steam.

People will always tell you how the Windows Store is better, but the truth is that its current state is not acceptable when you consider that

1. Microsoft is one of the richest companies in the world
2. They have been in the PC gaming industry longer than all the other companies they compete against.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Is funny to see a bunch of Xbox warriors on twitter thinking the sucess of palworld is due to GamePass

 

[Vasto]

Nobody cares about Game Pass.

 

[Bodom78]

I care about GamePass

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Hating on gamepass as a pc xbox player is pure retarded.

fixed for you

 

[Adam_802]

Game shows you can have a game on GP and sell well too. People will be bothered.

 

[poppabk]

There is no congnitive dissonance, and the result is blaringly obvious, even with Starfield:

• GamePass kills software sales on console, because only console users care about GamePass
• PC users don't give a shit about GamePass, so software sales are healthly on the platform, even if the game is available on GamePass (this was highly evident with Starfield, which topped Steam sales chart for 2 weeks)

Yes that is the kind of cognitive dissonance I am talking about. Great example.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

Game shows you can have a game on GP and sell well too. People will be bothered.

That assumes it actually has decent numbers in Gamepass. Frankly if a game is a smash hit but doesn't have good numbers in Gamepass, I would say that is not a good thing for Gamepass.

You have a product that is popular, and you give customers two ways to get the same thing. If people predominately choose one over another, then one path is definitely inferior.

i am sure if the game is big on Gamepass, Xbox would have told us by now.

 

[diffusionx]

I still think the majority of gamers would rather just buy a damn game they want to play than pay for another subscription indefinitely. The gamers who do want to pay for a subscription indefinitely buy an Xbox, and well we see the numbers for that.

It's just not the same as it is for TV and movies.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

I would have never tried this game without GP

 

[Zuzu]

I played it for a while the other day on my Series X & Gamepass. It seemed like a pretty good game but I just don't have time to play something like this when I've got so many other games in my backlog. It was pushing the Series X hard as well. The fans were as loud as I've ever heard them on the console. But it ran well, so that's good

 

[twilo99]

I love PC Gamepass store because I can play Starfield and many other games with cross save between my PC and TV Xbox. Depends on my mood I can play on a couch or at the desk.

I’m exploiting the gamepass system in a similar manner and it’s great, I really don’t see any drawbacks for having gamepass on PC and I’ve been able to try and play countless game that I would never consider on Steam.. I simply stopped buying games from Steam altogether, there is way too much content on gp anyway.