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[MScarpa]

There's no clarification if these are just the legacy/old games in the respective IPs (COD especially), or new releases. I would think with a statement like this, they'd want to definitively clear the air because there is a ton of people out there (myself included) looking at the logistics of them putting new COD releases on GamePass and seeing how it doesn't make sense from a financial POV.

COD Warzone OTOH, makes sense. Overwatch II makes sense given it's now F2P. Diablo IV I assume makes sense but I don't know if that's a F2P. Even if not, though, it's not a big seller the way COD is. But yeah, I think the only thing we can take from today's statement is that legacy COD games will be in GamePass and that was a foregone conclusion. If Phil Spencer meant new COD releases, I believe he would have explicitly stated that to clear any doubts.

Would you like to make a bet the new COD will be day one?

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I think new ones will be on GP because they’d get a lot of back
lash from their own fans if it wasn’t. But I also think this was just PR to get people in UK and Europe to support the deal.

If it's just for PR then it won't be enough. The CMA have put out their own results from early investigation and I don't think this statement helps whatsoever Microsoft in the eyes of the CMA. They have five days to give a satisfactory response (which they will be legally bound by), or else things intensify to Phase 2 and that will set closure back by six months.

I do think new COD games will eventually come to GamePass, I just don't think they will be Day 1. There is too much money lost and I don't think GamePass has turned particularly large revenue or profit with the current strategy of Day 1 for other games like FH5, Halo Infinite etc. (which are also 1P games).

You raise good points in lots of posts. But I think you are asking wrong questions about new games coming. Just a guess, but I think the better questions are how much more mtx gets added, and how much do subscription costs rise.

Those are good questions to bring up too, tbh. You're right, they could offset the losses on sales revenue by doing an increase in the sub costs and MTX. But I'm also thinking part of the pushback is because, these actual governments also make money off these software sales through taxes, and the publishers via taxes the companies pay. If ABK is now getting absorbed into MS, that's one less company paying taxes, both as a company and on the products they are selling, and MS is probably paying less in taxes through the ABK purchase probably getting some write offs or other benefits from buying them and situating them a certain way in the rest of their company structure.

Then add to that putting all new COD etc. games Day 1 in GamePass, that does actually impact sales on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC platforms, so it's that much less sales revenue governments can collect taxes off of. Unless MS not only increases GamePass costs, but MTX costs, and some of that extra is surplus now being paid to the governments as a source of tax revenue to make up for the losses of regular tax revenue from software sales (now suppressed to some varying degree due to the games being Day 1 in GamePass).

Would you like to make a bet the new COD will be day one?

Sure thing. I've got nothing to lose.

 

[Mr Moose]

Would you like to make a bet the new COD will be day one?

Modern Warfare 2? What kind of bet, I might want in.

 

[Sosokrates]

Steam.

 

[MScarpa]

If it's just for PR then it won't be enough. The CMA have put out their own results from early investigation and I don't think this statement helps whatsoever Microsoft in the eyes of the CMA. They have five days to give a satisfactory response (which they will be legally bound by), or else things intensify to Phase 2 and that will set closure back by six months.

I do think new COD games will eventually come to GamePass, I just don't think they will be Day 1. There is too much money lost and I don't think GamePass has turned particularly large revenue or profit with the current strategy of Day 1 for other games like FH5, Halo Infinite etc. (which are also 1P games).



Those are good questions to bring up too, tbh. You're right, they could offset the losses on sales revenue by doing an increase in the sub costs and MTX. But I'm also thinking part of the pushback is because, these actual governments also make money off these software sales through taxes, and the publishers via taxes the companies pay. If ABK is now getting absorbed into MS, that's one less company paying taxes, both as a company and on the products they are selling, and MS is probably paying less in taxes through the ABK purchase probably getting some write offs or other benefits from buying them and situating them a certain way in the rest of their company structure.

Then add to that putting all new COD etc. games Day 1 in GamePass, that does actually impact sales on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC platforms, so it's that much less sales revenue governments can collect taxes off of. Unless MS not only increases GamePass costs, but MTX costs, and some of that extra is surplus now being paid to the governments as a source of tax revenue to make up for the losses of regular tax revenue from software sales (now suppressed to some varying degree due to the games being Day 1 in GamePass).



Sure thing. I've got nothing to lose.

Ban bets. When MS deal goes through, all future COD will be Gamepass Day1.

 

[MScarpa]

Modern Warfare 2? What kind of bet, I might want in.

Ban bets. When MS deal goes through, all future COD will be Gamepass Day1.

 

[Mr Moose]

Ban bets. When MS deal goes through, all future COD will be Gamepass Day1.

I was hoping for something silly and fun like an avatar bet

 

[jorgejjvr]

It would be better for Microsoft if gamers were on xbox,cloud or PC because they would get 100% of any digital transaction, if the gamer is on playstation sony gets a cut.

I mean yeah, but some money is better than no money

You will never get all of PS to make that switch.

But I see in gamepass vs $70 more than enough incentive

 

[Sosokrates]

I mean yeah, but some money is better than no money

You will never get all of PS to make that switch.

But I see in gamepass vs $70 more than enough incentive

Yeah, and it might be in there 4d chess calculations that being on PlayStation is ultimately more profitable, if the goal is to be device agnostic.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Microsoft is becoming, or has become, a game publisher that manufactures consoles instead of a console maker with first party games. Next will be Microsoft branded, in some way, high end gaming PCs ala Alienware type systems, while having consoles for entry level gaming. They can say, "Our games can be played on any major device, i.e. all consoles, PCs, mobile. But play best on Xbox". Or something to that nature.

TBH I think they are heading this way by the time 10th gen arrives. 10th-gen Xbox will probably be their take on Steam Machines but actually committed to. It'll still be console-like in terms of general form factor and the OS not being outright Windows (maybe some stripped-down version, though, with certain license restrictions), but they can otherwise allow PC peripherals to work by default, module ports for expansions (PCIe-compatible, but with custom form factor that is console-friendly).

Possibly upgradable GPU but with limited, authorized GPUs of certain height, make, power etc. Upgradable PSU. Settings for CPU frequency. Upgradable RAM. Think of something of a mix between PC-FX, Steam Machines, and a general mini tower PC.

 

[Elder Legend]

Huge W.

Can't wait for Diablo 4.

 

[TheRedRiders]

If the mentioned games hit Gamepass day 1 then I honestly can’t understand how the service is going to be sustainable?

They pumped 100 billion dollars to make it sustainable in the long term.

 

[The_Mike]

"Call of Duty will never hit game pass on day one".

I know people like to talk bad about their exclusives, but every exclusive has been released on day one on game pass. Halo Infinite, the Forza games, Gears, all arrived on day one on Game Pass, and there is no reason why Call of Duty shouldnt.

Microsoft gets ten bucks a month for you playing call of duty, and you might be more tempted to buy a battle pass, since there is 20 percent off of that price if you have GP (or is it 10?).

So ten a month plus people buying battle pass adds up fast.

Then you check the rest of the catalogue since you are subbed anyway, and find assassins creed, immortal fenix, etc etc and might stay for longer.

According to verge at the beginning of this year, Microsoft has about 25 million subscribers for game pass.

10 * 25.000.000 = 250.000.000 every single month.

I know people hoard xbox live and convert to gold in here, but I doubt the casual gamer know about this.

But still, if we say half of the active subs has that 1 dollar offer, then it's still 125.000.000 each month.

Let's say call of duty sells ten million copies before the next cod arrives, its 70 * 10.000.000 = 700 million in its life time, where GP gives 125 million a month.

Also, let's say 2 million GP users are gonna play cod and buy the battle pass, that additional additional 20 million bucks.

I know Microsoft pays a shit load to other devs to put their games on the service, but by the strategy Microsoft are running now there's no need in the long run to pay a lot of other developers.

 

[Wohc]

That's great and so, but what about World of Warcraft sub? Also part of GP?

 

[CobraAB]

Would take you 3 years to play everything on GamePass.

Ah, I am seeing the plan now…….

 

[ManaByte]

That's great and so, but what about World of Warcraft sub? Also part of GP?

 

[Calverz]

Microsoft doing everything right this gen.

 

[GHG]

Microsoft doing everything right this gen.

Yeh they've worked really hard to nurture the talent involved to get the call of duty and diabolo franchises to where they are today. Their management of those IP has been stellar.

Oh wait...

 

[ManaByte]

Yeh they've worked really hard to nurture the talent involved to get the call of duty and diabolo franchises to where they are today. Their management of those IP has been stellar.

Oh wait...

The guy in charge of Diablo right now did Gears 5, which was awesome with one of the best DLCs ever.

 

[Negotiator101]

Yeh they've worked really hard to nurture the talent involved to get the call of duty and diabolo franchises to where they are today. Their management of those IP has been stellar.

Oh wait...

Another lame attempt at sarcasm

 

[GHG]

Another lame attempt at sarcasm

Well it would be like me going to the local shops to do the weekly shop and then getting rewarded with compliments and a blowy from the wife.

Meanwhile farmer Jim nurtured the cows for the beef and milk, his wife Jane kneeded the dough and baked the bread, and their son Timmy took care of the packaging. To top it all off Jeff transported all the goods half way across the country to get them to my local store.

All I did was rock up with some cash, do the transaction but I'm getting all the praise?

Damn... Maybe I should do the weekly shop more often (or find a wife that's easier to please).

 

[Negotiator101]

Well it would be like me going to the local shops to do the weekly shop and then getting rewarded with compliments and a blowy from the wife.

Meanwhile farmer Jim nurtured the cows for the beef and milk, his wife Jane kneeded the dough and baked the bread, and their son Timmy took care of the packaging. To top it all off Jeff transported all the goods half way across the country to get them to my local store.

All I did was rock up with some cash, do the transaction but I'm getting all the praise?

Damn... Maybe I should do the weekly shop more often (or find a wife that's easier to please).

Much better!

 

[//DEVIL//]

Microsoft cares less about moving 'more boxes' than Sony, but want to dominate the eyespace with subscriptions. They aren't going to shut out millions upon millions of customers by making Call of Duty exclusive. Microsoft wants to be more akin to the Netflix of gaming than the Dell, so they're not concerned about Sony having more hardware wins. As long as they get more subscriptions, they are fine. I doubt Xbox will have many exclusives this gen, but will be the place where you can play the games first on gamepass. Interesting strategy

Of course. It's about printing money. Subscriptions is just money printing to companies. Imagine paying 15$/per month to MS for 5 year ( just one generation ). Thats 1000$ from you alone ( assuming you want a controller and maybe buy 1 game out of those 5 years that you really like ).
You gave me them 1000$ at least and you don't even own the console. Just either pc or xcloud. Zero R&D costs on them too aside from the infrastructure they already have.

How many players Xbox has ? Let's say 20 million hardcore subs only ( if not much much more ), that's 20,000,000,000$ in a span of 5 years . That's 200 billion$ per 5 years of income aside from how much development costs in this 5 years would cost MS plus infrastructure maintained and salaries etc.

200 billion $. Activision deal to MS is 50 cents

 

[GHG]

You gave me them 1000$ at least and you don't even own the console. Just either pc or xcloud. Zero R&D costs on them too aside from the infrastructure they already have.

It's beyond that, you don't even own any games for your troubles. If you want to keep playing you have to keep on paying.

That's the whole point of the SaaS subscription model.

 

[solidus12]

At this point, he’s not even pretending

 

[abacab driver]

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2022/09/01/gaming-everyone-everywhere/

Checkmate.

 

[Rockondevil]

If only this would happen before MW2. I’d like to give it a go. It’s been a while.

 

[tusharngf]

candy crush alone makes more money for activision than other brands.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

All I did was rock up with some cash, do the transaction but I'm getting all the praise?

Get some help bro. Or better yet, a better paying job so you too could receive some praise.

 

[CaptainSlayAHo]

So not even timed exclusives? Interesting.

But still ... I don't believe new COD games will be available on Gamepass on day one.

Then you're a fool

 

[sendit]

candy crush alone makes more money for activision than other brands.

Yep. IMO, that is the bigger acquisition. Candy Crush prints money.

 

[CaptainSlayAHo]

What would happen to MS if this deal was passed on the proviso that CoD remains multi platform but in 10 years time they pull the plug on the PS version?

They would get a bunch of angry hate posts on gaming message boards

That's it

 

[GHG]

Get some help bro. Or better yet, a better paying job so you too could receive some praise.

Man you guys are rattled. This regulatory scrutiny was always going to come, some of us attempted to discuss it when the intended deal was announced but every time it got brought up it was shut down.

Nothing to worry about they said. Sit back and enjoy the show.

 

[RoadHazard]

They're always very sly with their wording. They are saying that they're not gonna take COD away from PlayStation now, but not that they won't two years from now. And no mention of all the other AB franchises (ones I personally actually care about, unlike COD).

 

[coffinbirth]

Not sold on Gamepass until we get Rock N' Roll Racing.

Dollars to donuts Blizzard Arcade Collection gets added.

 

[The_Mike]

That's great and so, but what about World of Warcraft sub? Also part of GP?

Doubtful, eso plus is not a part of Game Pass.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

I can’t imagine CoD players not jumping over to Xbox.
Buying the game for $70 on PlayStation versus having it on Game Pass is a good enough reason. If Microsoft needs to twist the knife they certainly can, through timed exclusive new content and full exclusive cross over stuff with their other ip.
A Doom themed map pack would be pretty cool.

I don’t think that’s entirely true.

You don’t make a jump to a platform purely based off of that. 12 months of game pass is what? $180 is paid monthly?

I don’t know why somebody would switch platforms just because COD is on Gamepass when they can just buy it for $70 on the platform they already have.

Now COD combined with the rest of the games sure but I don’t think most people are suddenly going to jump ship because COD is available for $15 a month.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

 

[BadBurger]

We enthusiasts already knew Microsoft puts all of their first party games on Game Pass, but this is a reminder to casual gamers.

PC Game Pass is already a good deal, but in about a year it's going to be downright amazing. They should also put World of Warcraft on there in some fashion.

 

[Jimmyisback]

Nothing stops the game pass train.

 

[Torrent of Pork]

I think that as long as MS has competition, they'll have reason to make large scale AAA games.

What I hope for though is that GP allows for more games to be made that aren't entirely dependent on physical sales. That means more AA games, more niche genres. If people are already going to get the games dropped in their lap simply for subbing to play Call of Duty, then it could turn a lot of people onto things they've never even played or knew they liked. I actually think it could potentially save AA gaming in this era of big budget homogenization and risk averse AAA projects. You can call that a drop in quality, or a good thing.

There have been dozens of games that I wouldn't have taken a second glance at that I've greatly enjoyed on GP. A few minutes to download the game while watching YouTube is not enough of an excuse not to try something I might not like.

Highlighting lines about how they confirm stuff about mutiplatform games and completely ignoring the shit in the middle about expanding their storefront to other devices and platforms.......... I mean what exactly are they planning here. Are they going to pull some shit like oh we want to release x game on y platform or device but they wont let us deploy our storefront or sell our subscription service there so our hands are tied?

That's exactly what they're doing. If Sony would let MS put a Game Pass app on the PS5 at a reasonable price they'd do it in a heartbeat.

TBH I think they are heading this way by the time 10th gen arrives. 10th-gen Xbox will probably be their take on Steam Machines but actually committed to. It'll still be console-like in terms of general form factor and the OS not being outright Windows (maybe some stripped-down version, though, with certain license restrictions), but they can otherwise allow PC peripherals to work by default, module ports for expansions (PCIe-compatible, but with custom form factor that is console-friendly).

Possibly upgradable GPU but with limited, authorized GPUs of certain height, make, power etc. Upgradable PSU. Settings for CPU frequency. Upgradable RAM. Think of something of a mix between PC-FX, Steam Machines, and a general mini tower PC.

I always thought MS was stupid to not allow a stripped down Windows OS on the Series consoles. I remember convincing my grandparents that helping me with the cost of a PS2 was a good idea, as it could be used by everybody as a DVD player. Allowing basic MS Office software to be used on the console would sell a shit-ton of Xboxes to clueless parents of kids going to college. It's the line I sure as hell would have fed my grandparents back then.

 

[njean777]

I mean they would be stupid to ignore the Sony player base for COD (and Blizzard). Why not release those games on PS and charge 60-70$ per game along with putting them on game pass eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't put COD/D4/Overwatch (maybe on that one) on game pass day one. They are big enough games that people will pay premium for them. Why lose that money for say a 6 month timespan and then put them on game pass (except COD). Its is business in the end.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

They really want everyone to be sure PlayStation won't lose access to the COD IP i see. Them mentioning Minecraft seems good as well. That's what i thought.

Plus assuring COD remains on PS
CoD everywhere is nice for PS owners. Can't wait for D4!

Dont want to burst your bubble, but unless this is written in a contract somewhere these are just words - the moment Activision merger gets approved it can change very quickly.

 

[PendekarRajawali]

candy crush alone makes more money for activision than other brands.

Bingo. MS is fooling everyone. Phil just wants candy crush.

 

[Kataploom]

When are they coming? Really excited to go back to WoW classic of no sub (well, no sub for only WoW)

 

[Zug]

Microsoft's main goal seems to make everything Software as a service (SaaS) : On premise > Azure/M365, Windows, games (soon).
Once the customer is captive of the service and competition is weakened, rise prices and profit.

 

[Team Andromeda]

So this tells me the deal is almost done, despite what a pathetic toothless UK reg says.

 

[Kagey K]

Microsoft's main goal seems to make everything Software as a service (SaaS) : On premise > Azure/M365, Windows, games (soon).
Once the customer is captive of the service and competition is weakened, rise prices and profit.

It think they want enough subs that they never go into pocket to pay dev costs and Subscribers Take all the risk for them.

They seem to be most of the way there already. It's literally almost self sustaining at this point.

 

[pasterpl]

To simplify it for everyone; warzone and all new yearly cod games will be (for foreseeable future) released on everything that can run it Samsung fridges, switches, steam, ps4, ps5, Xbox etc. and Microsoft will be happy with billions of profit they will be generating. At the same time, as soon as the Sony marketing deals expire, we will see all of cod games hitting gamepass, old ones and new ones, day 1.

This is re. CoD other IPs like Diablo etc, that’s different story, but we can be sure that all will be gamepass day 1.

 

[The_Mike]

When are they coming? Really excited to go back to WoW classic of no sub (well, no sub for only WoW)

Wouldn't hold my breath for wow sub.

ESO plus is not included in game pass either.