wait a fricking minute, are there still people defending Xbox/Game Pass?.
Excellent service that well worth the money I paid for it. What’s not to like?
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'The gold rush is over:' Slay the Spire and Darkest Dungeon devs say that big Game Pass and Epic exclusive deals have dried up for indie devs
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Excellent service that well worth the money I paid for it. What’s not to like?
ChorizoPicozo
Member
3 PoV.
1. Xbox/GP as a console-service from the consumer point of view.
2. Xbox/GP as part of the industry
3. Xbox/GP as a gaming division.
Why would a consumer try to debate the viability or value of Xbox/Game Pass? After all, a consumer....consumes
StereoVsn
Gold Member
The big issue with GamePass long term proved to be that it was driving customers out of actually buying games.
Most large 3rd party releases with published data showed a very large discrepancy between Xbox and PlayStation platforms in percentages in sales, far outside console number ratios. Hogwarts was one earlier example but it has been well illustrated by most releases. Note that these games don’t necessarily have to be in the service, customers have been trained that there is no point in actually buying games.
This trend is especially bad for indies because expectation from customers is that games will show up in GamePass (or to lesser extent PS+ and EGS).
That expectation can become ruinous for an indie studio trying to sell their next game when first was on GamePass because they don’t build an audience essentially. So their next game is just as hard to sell as if it was their first to an extent.
That’s the biggest issues with GamePass, it drives down purchasing habits of customers in the entire industry to an extent. PS+ and EGS also contribute to that mentality but to a lesser extent due to general lack of Day 1 releases on their services. Well, Sony sometimes does have Indie games Day 1.
Most large 3rd party releases with published data showed a very large discrepancy between Xbox and PlayStation platforms in percentages in sales, far outside console number ratios. Hogwarts was one earlier example but it has been well illustrated by most releases. Note that these games don’t necessarily have to be in the service, customers have been trained that there is no point in actually buying games.
This trend is especially bad for indies because expectation from customers is that games will show up in GamePass (or to lesser extent PS+ and EGS).
That expectation can become ruinous for an indie studio trying to sell their next game when first was on GamePass because they don’t build an audience essentially. So their next game is just as hard to sell as if it was their first to an extent.
That’s the biggest issues with GamePass, it drives down purchasing habits of customers in the entire industry to an extent. PS+ and EGS also contribute to that mentality but to a lesser extent due to general lack of Day 1 releases on their services. Well, Sony sometimes does have Indie games Day 1.
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So where's the sense in going "Are there people defending GamePass" when this is a forum filled with...consumers?
ChorizoPicozo
Member
the sense comes when "these people" are using their consumer point of view to talk about the other 2 points.
And as I said many posts ago. Game Pass is an evolution of sub-services like PS+ and Games with Gold. Great Value, nothing wrong. As a consumer, you enjoy it ....and that's it.
Klayzer
Member
There's also a negative to the adoption rate of Gamespass (or lack of). The Xbox platform is becoming less relevant in console and game sales.
Now whether that's Gamespass fault, or just less intrest in Xbox, time will tell. Personally, I think its a mixture of questionable buisness decisions, plus software not living up to expectations.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
well, thats what I am saying. talking about the effects of GP in the "economy of gaming" as well as the current status of the Xbox brand, console, and ecosystem, requires a different mindset: one that goes beyond a consumer who enjoys the product/service.
No. It WAS significantly dampening sales of games on GamePass.
The discrepancy comes from the console number ratios AND the high digital skew on Xbox, driven by the all digital Series S and higher overall digital ratios on Xbox.
It also doesn't serve Xbox well that in households where the Series S is a secondary console, it makes more sense to buy games on the more powerful PS5.
Nobody skipped out on Hogwarts because of GamePass. Ditto for games like COD or FIFA. Hogwarts is a weird example to use since it coincided with a ton of PS5 sales after the shortage ended. Significant skew, as a result.
GamePass has been in existence since 2017 or so, and yet Elden Ring had 41% on PS vs 29% on Xbox, fully representing the platform share at the time.
Again, there's no logic in assuming this applies to GamePass alone and not with PS+ Extra subscribers. Both services get indie games, and both have their share of Day 1 titles.
If your claim were to be correct, then Day 1 or not wouldn't make that much of a difference. People are usually VERY willing to wait for A and AA titles if need be.
I have no idea how you say a popular Indie on GP wouldn't have built an audience for a sequel.
I don't believe there's any data to support this, though.
recursive
Member
I am keyed in more on the 10 to 15% of revenue you said MS wants from gamepass not this other stuff you mention. My opinion is if the gamepass subscriber target is 100M and at 15% of revenue MS has big dreams. And 2027 is not that far away to grow by 70M subscribers. I don't think the consumer had the lofty goal it was MS.
Why would any of that be due to GamePass?
They'd probably have lower sales without that service, since it's a selling point for the Series S at the least.
Xbox is selling lower because the PS5 is just the better buy at the moment, Sony is doing much better with providing content and, tbh, Microsoft cocking up the Xbox One gen already set them on the back foot significantly.
Day 1 First Party games on PC hasn't helped either, if the objective is to sell console hardware.
The whole "GamePass is behind Xbox struggles" is just a forum invention. We heard that shit when it was supposed to push Xbox into GaaS, live service and episodic stuff only and lead to a microtransaction hellscape. Meanwhile they're pushing a significant amount of single player games with no MTX
Klayzer
Member
Intresting logical opinions, especially the PS5 is the better buy. I still think Gamespass, has had a negative effect on the Xbox platform as a whole. It isn't a coincidence less software is being bought on Xbox now.
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Bumblebeetuna
Member
Yeah they had big dreams that you could easily say were delusional. Don Mattrick also wanted Xbones to be given out by cable companies allowing MS to have an install base of multiple hundreds of millions. MS has said a lot of dumb shit. But my point was about this idea that they are/were positioning GamePass to become the standard for how we consume games in the industry.
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