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[Eddie-Griffin]

Sony Admits Xbox Game Pass is ‘Far Ahead’ of PS Plus

Sony has admitted that when it comes to multi-game subscription […]

www.yahoo.com

Sony has admitted that when it comes to multi-game subscription programs, “it is beyond doubt that Game Pass is far ahead of PlayStation Plus.” While the redesigned PS Plus tiers have been touted as Sony’s Xbox Game Pass competitor, the platform holder feels like there’s a long way to go before they’re on even terms.

Call of Duty could increase the gap between PS Plus and Game Pass​

Sony claims that even if they accept a deal to keep Call of Duty on PS5 and PS4 for the next 10 years, Microsoft still has ways to push gamers towards Xbox. One way is to make future Call of Duty games exclusive to Xbox Game Pass, a point Sony raised when they claimed The Elder Scrolls 6 would be Xbox exclusive. This would make Game Pass a much better proposal than PS Plus for many gamers.

Another of those ways is the cost of the license. Apparently, “Microsoft could manipulate prices of its license to weaken PlayStation or PlayStation Plus” by “providing Call of Duty on PlayStation Plus at a commercially unviable price, thereby making it de facto exclusive.” In other words, the license costs would force Sony to increase its subscription prices to a point where players are no longer willing to pay that amount.
Either way, a decision is yet to made on the Activision Blizzard acquisition and a Call of Duty deal between Sony and Microsoft is yet to be agreed. It remains to be seen whether Xbox Game Pass will remain far ahead of PS Plus.

According to the report, Sony believes that Microsoft will make COD exclusive to Game Pass, which will push gamers toward Xbox. Even though MS offered them the ability to have it on PS Plus.

But they counter this by saying that they suspect that Microsoft will try a dirty tactic,

“Microsoft could manipulate prices of its license to weaken PlayStation or PlayStation Plus” by “providing Call of Duty on PlayStation Plus at a commercially unviable price, thereby making it de facto exclusive.” In other words, the license costs would force Sony to increase its subscription prices to a point where players are no longer willing to pay that amount.

Sony admits "Game Pass is far ahead of PlayStation Plus"

Sony continues to admit weaknesses that make Microsoft look too dominant to consent to in order to slow down the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

en.as.com

But the plot goes even further, suggesting that if the company buys Activision Blizzard, its great rival could take revenge in the following ways:

• Raising the price of Call of Duty on PlayStation
• Degrading the quality and performance of Call of Duty on PlayStation compared to Xbox
• Restricting, degrading or no prioritising investment in the multiplayer experience on PlayStation; or
• Making Call of Duty available on multi-game subscription services (“MGS”) only on Game pass or providing Call of Duty on PlayStation plus at commercially unviable price, thereby making it de facto exclusive.

which is some very creative thinking. However, I believe Sony may have chosen the wrong legal team for this job because to anyone with a minimal knowledge of the industry this is slightly silly.

in fact, at this point they may be hurting their own block case against the deal, this is the most unhinged it's gotten so far so thought this was something to highlight.

 

[diffusionx]

Sony should cancel PS Plus if they still want to sell videogames.

 

[Hendrick's]

What clowns. They withhold their own games from the service and then claim this crap.

 

[Leonidas]

Glad to hear Sony admit that, hopefully this means that PS+ Extra will keep improving.

PS+ Extra (and my existing PS+ library from before) has been good enough for me that I have no need and no plans to buy any games on PS5.

 

[lh032]

Both Microsoft and Sony praising each other, what a bromance.

 

[Pagusas]

Today I learned Yahoo still exist.

 

[GHG]

It's true though. They should just focus on their strengths though, it's a road to nowhere unless you have a sugar daddy.

 

[bitbydeath]

Today I learned Yahoo still exist.

Time to check up on Hotbot!

 

[Elginer]

Well like yeah we all know that

 

[AlexxKidd]

Are they talking subs? Because the statement and the article are incorrect if that's the case.

Neither Game Pass nor Xbox Live nor Nintendo Online is ahead of PS Plus in subs.

I suspect what Sony is talking about is PS Plus Extra and Premium, their "Game Pass-like" service which released last year. Game Pass would certainly have more subs than those services.

 

[ironmang]

Another of those ways is the cost of the license. Apparently, “Microsoft could manipulate prices of its license to weaken PlayStation or PlayStation Plus” by “providing Call of Duty on PlayStation Plus at a commercially unviable price, thereby making it de facto exclusive.”

Sony has never cared about putting their own games on PS+ Extra day 1. Maybe they should start there if they want to make their service more attractive.

They're trying to pretend that MS gouging them would keep COD off PS+ Extra when in reality they aren't interested in paying even a fair market price.

MS giving a better value makes us look bad is a pretty weak argument.

 

[Iced Arcade]

I love both subscriptions. Only downfall with PS plus extra is no day 1 releases (as a consumer... As I company I get it).



Sony should do a 3 or 6 month release on 1st party titles. At that point most sales would have been made.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Time to check up on Hotbot!

I heard Jeeves is still alive, but he's retried though.

 

[KaiserBecks]

Are they talking subs? Because the statement and the article are incorrect if that's the case.

Neither Game Pass nor Xbox Live nor Nintendo Online is ahead of PS Plus in subs.

I suspect what Sony is talking about is PS Plus Extra and Premium, their "Game Pass-like" service which released last year. Game Pass would certainly have more subs than those services.

Why don’t you just read the article?

 

[Pelao]

I don't subscribe to PS Plus Extra because I find it redundant with Gamepass, but you can bet I'd upgrade if they started releasing their games on the service day one, even if it was on their crappy Premium tier.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

One of these instances were losing is actually winning.

 

[feynoob]

Both Microsoft and Sony praising each other, what a bromance.

Sums up both of them

 

[LordCBH]

The part about gimping performance of COD on PlayStation is kinda funny. I don’t want the deal to go through because I think ultimately it’s bad for most people when one of the largest companies in the world buys one of the largest companies in any industry. BUT. If Microsoft wanted to release gimped games on PlayStation to drive customers to Xbox then they could’ve done it with any of the Minecraft releases over the years, which is an astoundingly popular IP.

 

[adamsapple]

Well .. they're not wrong.

 

[Portugeezer]

Sony has never cared about putting their own games on PS+ Extra day 1. Maybe they should start there if they want to make their service more attractive.

They're trying to pretend that MS gouging them would keep COD off PS+ Extra when in reality they aren't interested in paying even a fair market price.

MS giving a better value makes us look bad is a pretty weak argument.

COD is a big game, sells shit loads every year, so the "fair market price" you speak of is probably astronomical as it is.

Sony's concern in this hypothetical scenario about MS gouging them on top of that is valid, even if they're not interested in paying the regular price (which would be high).

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Since MS bought Mojang 11 years ago and Bethesda 2.5 years ago
- All games come to PS systems, including full support of other platforms too
- All partnership deals still in place (ie. Deathloop)
- Games still even release on PS+ sub plans (even recently)

Since MS started getting Sony making MLB The Show for Xbox
- "The Xbox version stutters more than the PS version". Ya, for a baseball game
- Sony wants to wall the game off selling it for full price to PS users, while MS has the game for sale and sub plan (options for Xbox gamers)

Sony's response to AB acquisition
- "Deal should be canceled because COD will be unfairly better on Xbox"
- This despite Sony doing endless third party partnership deals, including exclusives, DLC perks and timed deals against Xbox (including not one, but two year timed deals like Forspoken)
- Sony having a history of zero multiplatform play except for finally the past 2 years of PC ports, which can be shoddy in performance and stability even for uber PC rigs. And the ports come out 1 year, 2 year or for games like Uncharted 5-6 years later as PC leftovers

And Sony is the one complaining about game deals and exclusivity risk. lol

 

[SteelCurtain 59]

Are they talking subs? Because the statement and the article are incorrect if that's the case.

Neither Game Pass nor Xbox Live nor Nintendo Online is ahead of PS Plus in subs.

I suspect what Sony is talking about is PS Plus Extra and Premium, their "Game Pass-like" service which released last year. Game Pass would certainly have more subs than those services.

Well obviously, there is no logical reason to compare PS+ base with Game Pass, it would be like comparing Xbox Live Gold with PS Plus Premium.

 

[EnzoArt]

But:

Plus = only on Playstation

GamePass = only on Android, TV, Browser, Xbox, PC

 

[Loomy]

which is some very creative thinking. However, I believe Sony may have chosen the wrong legal team for this job because to anyone with a minimal knowledge of the industry this is slightly silly.

I doubt there are external teams of this calibre that are experts in this industry. At least any more than the in house lawyers at the company making and publishing games in this industry.

Also, COD on gamepass will be essentially 'free', whereas on PSN you'll have to purchase the game. That by itself can be seen as an unfair advantage. As for the other stuff, it's important to point out the edge cases no matter how crazy it may sound. Because someone at the company you're going up against could have those same ideas. That's not a stretch to imagine. Whether or not they will act on it is a different story.

Sony is pointing out that Microsoft could do shady shit to circumvent the terms of the merger agreement knowing that the CMA, FTC, and EU regulators are well aware that Microsoft has done this in the past and been penalized for it.

Keep in mind, they're not arguing in front of a jury of gamers here, they're making arguments in front of other people with, as you say, minimal knowledge of the industry. It only seems that way because all of this is in the press, but public opinion outside of the responses to surveys the regulators put out do not matter here.

 

[ironmang]

COD is a big game, sells shit loads every year, so the "fair market price" you speak of is probably astronomical as it is.

Sony's concern in this hypothetical scenario about MS gouging them on top of that is valid, even if they're not interested in paying the regular price (which would be high).

Why would Sony be concerned about a hypothetical higher price if they wouldn't be willing to pay the cheaper price? Their concern about being gouged would be a little believable if they were at least offering their own published games day 1.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

What clowns. They withhold their own games from the service and then claim this crap.

Yup. These "clowns" need to figure out how to compete with Windows, OpenAI, Cloud, Microsoft Office, etc. so that they can start subsidizing their sub service from outside operations and compete more.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

I doubt there are external teams of this calibre that are experts in this industry.

You don't need to be an expert in this industry to realize how silly this argument is. They wouldn't use this for two competing movie sub services.

 

[Gravemind]

Yeah, no shit.

 

[TheGodfather07]

Sonys turn for an 80/20 pie chart.

 

[Beechos]

All these companies do is spin things to benefit them.

Gamepass is destroying us, we can't let the merger go through.

Ps is destroying us, we need activision to compete.

 

[Matt Frost]

Yeah, Sony policy of no new games until a year, bad cloud gaming and lack of some key titles (GoW comes to mind because is on Steam and they want you to purchase that instead) is not very welcoming

 

[Lasha]

Licensing IP is more expensive than reaping economic rent as a platform holder. Microsoft being obligated to offer full COD on Sony consoles is fair. Expecting terms dictating Microsoft ensure a service that Sony doesn't launch its own games on has launch access to a hot title at a "commercially viable price" is an insane ask.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Why would Sony be concerned about a hypothetical higher price if they wouldn't be willing to pay the cheaper price? Their concern about being gouged would be a little believable if they were at least offering their own published games day 1.

And why would Sony be concerned given the history of Minecraft (going back to the 2012 purchase) and Bethesda (since 2020) when nothing from those two companies have changed?

Now if MS had a history of purposely gimping, puling games and canceling partnership deals in place already it would be a different story. They havent.

Now someone will say, but what about Starfield? It looks like an Xbox and PC only game. Well hey, things change. Nobody ever said a merger/acquisition in any industry means zero changes forever. What Sony wants is forever zero changes. Well, too bad. No different than when Sony gobbled up Psygnosis back in the day. After a few years of PC and Saturn games (hey, things are looking good for multiplatform support after all), it went full tilt 100% Sony.

Sony is one who brags about being the biggest game console company with shitloads of high selling 20M games and oodles of profits, so hey youre already the number one big cat. So just compete against the smaller fish banding together.... which is no different than any other industry when two companies combine.

Sony is supposedly so against big acquisitions, and they buy up Bungie shortly after themselves. We'll see how true that "Bungie leadership has full control and committed to multiplaform play" message is and how long it lasts.

 

[Loomy]

You don't need to be an expert in this industry to realize how silly this argument is. They wouldn't use this for two competing movie sub services.

Sure you could. If Company A buys Movie Studio, they could limit the content on Company B's streaming service to 720p only, offering a degraded/inferior service in an attempt to force customers to switch from Company B's streaming service to their own (Company A).

Company A could also make movies from Movie Studio available to stream for free on their streaming service, and charging a rental fee on Company B's service, with no purchase option.

 

[Fox Mulder]

because MS gives their own first party titles on Gamepass. Like it’s insane value you get new Forzas and everything on Gamepass instead of paying $70. Gamepass even has Sony’s MLB The Show.

 

[ironmang]

Yup. These "clowns" need to figure out how to compete with Windows, OpenAI, Cloud, Microsoft Office, etc. so that they can start subsidizing their sub service from outside operations and compete more.

GP is profitable though.

Even if Sony is unwilling to go completely free, what's stopping them from offering new games at a discount to subscribers?

 

[FalsettoVibe]

What clowns. They withhold their own games from the service and then claim this crap.

You've been around long enough to know not to make a silly post like this. It's been explained multiple times as to why Sony cannot operate in this way so I won't bother.

 

[Hendrick's]

You've been around long enough to know not to make a silly post like this. It's been explained multiple times as to why Sony cannot operate in this way so I won't bother.

They absolutely can. They just chose not to.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

GP is profitable though.

*excluding cost of FP development

Phil has already stated it eats into retail sales significantly from the court documents

 

[Mr Moose]

Since MS bought Mojang 11 years ago and Bethesda 2.5 years ago
- All games come to PS systems, including full support of other platforms too
- All partnership deals still in place (ie. Deathloop)
- Games still even release on PS+ sub plans (even recently)

Chotto matte... Did I miss the PlayStation release of Hi-Fi Rush? I must've missed the announcement for Redfall, Starfield and Elderscrolls 6 too.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

oh?!?!?!?!

Now sony is playing the same game as MS?!?!?!?!

noice

 

[Lasha]

You've been around long enough to know not to make a silly post like this. It's been explained multiple times as to why Sony cannot operate in this way so I won't bother.

Sony actually could. The hit it takes in the short term would be offset by effectively doubling or tripling the revenue per console owner. Trying to compete now makes sense while it has revenue from the 90% of third party sales to feed it.

 

[Unknown?]

Well their accusations of dirty tactics fall in line with Microsoft's past.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Yahoo should be a banned source. Look at all the sensationalist yellow journalism in the quoted parts. "Games journalism".

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Sure you could. If Company A buys Movie Studio, they could limit the content on Company B's streaming service to 720p only,

Which isn't legal based on the regulations set in place. That could only be allowed with no penalty if 720p was the only option for company B.

Sony is pointing out that Microsoft could do shady shit to circumvent the terms of the merger agreement knowing that the CMA, FTC, and EU regulators are well aware that Microsoft has done this in the past and been penalized for it.

You're implying that Sony believes Microsoft will circumvent the terms just to be penalized for circumventing the terms, which means they wouldn't have circumvented anything.

Why would Microsoft voluntarily penalize themselves? They will keep to their agreements at the duration they are set for to avoid being penalized.

 

[DrFigs]

But what does askjeeves say?

 

[FalsettoVibe]

nvm

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Yahoo should be a banned source. Look at all the sensationalist yellow journalism in the quoted parts. "Games journalism".

Yahoo is sourcing PlayStationlifestyle

 

[ironmang]

*excluding cost of FP development

Phil has already stated it eats into retail sales significantly from the court documents

And they make it back on GP subscriptions.

 

[Punished Miku]

What clowns. They withhold their own games from the service and then claim this crap.

/thread