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"Xbox Game Pass Standard" is launching in September

Topher

Identifies as young
So nothing of value outside of a two year old games DLC and Sony’s GaaS that was fun for a few weeks

GIF by Amuse


Like @FoxMcChief said in an earlier page. Gamefly + Game pass is the best combination to have. Everything you need on day 1 and by the time you feel like replaying a game years later, it's reached bargain bin prices. I have bought only 2 games on day 1 at full price between 2023 and 2024, personally.

Looks to me like Gamefly would be doing all the heavy lifting based on his list of games.
 
Series X would be north of $700 if it weren't subsidized, especially if the market is that small. That doesn't even take into consideration software support. It just doesn't seem viable.
If I remember correctly, they were loosing $100 at launch per unit sold.

Adding another $100 on APU and cooling, I don’t think gains would be unsubstantial.

They could add another $100 as upfront profit.
 

Kings Field

Member
I was the type that always owned both consoles and favored Xbox due to friends being on that platform but there’s really no point in gamepass for me after it runs out next march.

In the last year I used it for Lies of P, TCM, and Hellblade 2 with the only great game being LOP which I’ll be double dipping on PS5 shortly. It would have been better if I just bought LOP and TCM and called it a day.

If they ever release a GOW collection or the next one is good I’ll just pay for it outright. 🤷
 

bender

What time is it?
If I remember correctly, they were loosing $100 at launch per unit sold.

Adding another $100 on APU and cooling, I don’t think gains would be unsubstantial.

They could add another $100 as upfront profit.


You aren't factoring in economies of scale. Cost per component is going to be more expensive the smaller your projected hardware runs are.
 
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Topher

Identifies as young
Phil mentioned bringing Steam over to Xbox. Eventually 3rd party companies will make hybrid devices like they did Steamdeck portables

Phil Spencer never said anything about Steam. He was asked about stores like itch.io and epic.

"Spencer mentioned his frustrations with closed ecosystems, so we asked for clarity. Could he really see a future where stores like Itch.io and Epic Games Store existed on Xbox? Was it just a matter of figuring out mountains of paperwork to get there?

“Yes,” said Spencer. “[Consider] our history as the Windows company. Nobody would blink twice if I said, ‘Hey, when you’re using a PC, you get to decide the type of experience you have [by picking where to buy games]. There’s real value in that.” Spencer believes console players would benefit from that freedom too — and so would console makers like Microsoft."

 

Mibu no ookami

Demoted Member® Pro™
in the real world, their games get discounted at about the same rate as others not named Nintendo. Aside from obvious outliers like Redfall, of course. We got discounts for Returnal, Rift Apart and Demon Souls in short order. Glancing at Amazon, Forza Horizon 5 seems to be at around the same relative price discount as Ragnarok and HFW. Won’t even go into price drops for EA or Ubisoft games.

But it’s OK to hold on to dreams.

I mean you could have actually looked up the price history on the very games you brought up...

But it's also pretty telling that you brought up Sony's smallest games this generation...
 
I'd be curious to see the breakdown of regular vs expansion pass tiers, but I think it's just a matter of somewhat fair pricing. There are infrastructure cots to the niceties we take advantage of on all platforms and a small fee doesn't seem out of the question. That's why $20 a year doesn't seem all that outrageous, especially when it is bolstered by some great free games like Tetris/F-Zero 99 and access to some virtual consoles.
Oh for sure I think that base NSO is the best deal in gaming for sure there’s so many games on all those platforms and they bring new ones out a handful at a time every quarter, and as you said they even add new games to it like the 99 series. Plus you have to have it in order to play anything online. and you get game trials as well, with full access to the games.
 

BigLee74

Member
so next-gen people will decide.

buy a new Xbox for $499 USD + $240 USD a year ORRRR buy the latest PlayStation (that plays PS and Xbox games) purchase the games you want and save a bucket of money.


I'll save the $1006 Canadian (console+subscription) and just buy a PlayStation next-gen lol

Does PS allow you to play all online games without some kind of subscription?
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Looks to me like Gamefly would be doing all the heavy lifting based on his list of games.

For his list of games sure, but there's digital only content like HB2 that I wouldn't be able to get via GF, until LRG or someone decides to put it out one or two years later like Hi-Fi Rush, which I wouldn't have been able to play in 2023 otherwise.

Does PS allow you to play all online games without some kind of subscription?


You can play F2P games like Fortnite on both PS and Xbox without their respective sub.
 
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Kokoloko85

Member
Phil Spencer never said anything about Steam. He was asked about stores like itch.io and epic.

"Spencer mentioned his frustrations with closed ecosystems, so we asked for clarity. Could he really see a future where stores like Itch.io and Epic Games Store existed on Xbox? Was it just a matter of figuring out mountains of paperwork to get there?

“Yes,” said Spencer. “[Consider] our history as the Windows company. Nobody would blink twice if I said, ‘Hey, when you’re using a PC, you get to decide the type of experience you have [by picking where to buy games]. There’s real value in that.” Spencer believes console players would benefit from that freedom too — and so would console makers like Microsoft."

Dont know why this website mentions Steam then.


In an interview with Polygon, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed his wish to bring down the closed ecosystem of consoles and introduce third-party storefronts, such as Steam, Epic Games Store, and Itch.io, to such platforms. When asked if these stores could exist on Xbox consoles in the future, he said “Yes,” likely fueling excitement among fans. Further, he highlighted that getting to choose where a player buys their game from is an advantage PC gaming offers over console gaming. He said, “Nobody would blink twice if I said, ‘Hey, when you’re using a PC, you get to decide the type of experience you have.' There’s real value in that.” However, he also admitted that such a move would require tackling a lot of paperwork.


Either way, it will probably happen if they are gonna do Epic.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
Dont know why this website mentions Steam then.


In an interview with Polygon, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed his wish to bring down the closed ecosystem of consoles and introduce third-party storefronts, such as Steam, Epic Games Store, and Itch.io, to such platforms. When asked if these stores could exist on Xbox consoles in the future, he said “Yes,” likely fueling excitement among fans. Further, he highlighted that getting to choose where a player buys their game from is an advantage PC gaming offers over console gaming. He said, “Nobody would blink twice if I said, ‘Hey, when you’re using a PC, you get to decide the type of experience you have.' There’s real value in that.” However, he also admitted that such a move would require tackling a lot of paperwork.


Either way, it will probably happen if they are gonna do Epic.

To be fair, Spencer didn't mention any store by name. He was just asked about those two as examples. I think the main takeaway from all this is that the future of Xbox is going to be in the form of a PC, one way or another.
 

bender

What time is it?
For his list of games sure, but there's digital only content like HB2 that I wouldn't be able to get via GF, until LRG or someone decides to put it out one or two years later like Hi-Fi Rush, which I wouldn't have been able to play in 2023 otherwise.

I wouldn't have wasted my time with that game if it weren't for GPU. It's part of the reason I'm not re-upping my subscription once it is up in October.
 

GHG

Member
Phil mentioned bringing Steam over to Xbox. Eventually 3rd party companies will make hybrid devices like they did Steamdeck portables

Phil says a lot of things.

You specifically said steamOS. Steam OS is a highly customised Linux distro.

You think they are going to throw Linux on a device that is Microsoft branded?
 

Fess

Member
With the way things are going at the moment, xbox ultimately becomes a streaming and mobile gaming brand.
Well I think the whole industry will move to streaming, if you look far enough into the future. Eventually some big dev will tap into power unreachable for local consumer hardware and then the snowball is rolling.

But we’re not there yet and Xbox as a brand is crumbling today. And you can’t brute force a future onto people with an unpopular brand. Google tried it with Stadia. I wish there could be some Ieak with scribbled notes hinting at their next step, right now everything is foggy.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
But you have kinda answered your own dilemma...

as long as gamepass day 1 exists, its training Xbox users to not buy games. Nothing to not understand there, you just said it yourself. And so has Ms too. When they said something about gamepass cannibalizing sales. So this is known.

And yes, if gamepass went away, this would just make people go back to buying games. I for one know that since day 1 became a thing, I have never bought a single Xbox game. I instead just pay for gamepass for the odd month or two in a year and play everything the brand has to offer for that year. And that's thanks to MS... they have trained... hell encouraged me to do this. It makes no sense for me to buy a game on Xbox for $70... hell, even $50 when I know for as little as $20... I can play everything they have worth playing in one month. That is a problem. And physical proof that it is? games sell less on Xbox, gamepass subs prices are (as expected) increasing, we are having this conversation, Xbox has created a day 1 less tier... etc.

So the very argument you said doesn't make sense, actually makes a lot of sense. This is a problem unique to Xbox, gamepass and Day 1.

I actually think we are on the same page. While gamepass exists and we are subbed we will wait to get MS games day one on the service. We will not buy games, and MS has nurtured this.

If gamepass went away, peeps would buy games again.

Simples
 

Ozriel

M$FT
I assume it must be the PC option being cheaper and still having day one games. But why would console users revolt about PC users getting a better deal… they get better deals all the time no matter what fanbase it is. Some clown will just reply “#SonyToo” but did PS gamers revolt at PC users getting cheaper games and free online? Nope.

Outside of that, idk what the revolt could be about.

Yeah, it was a pretty daft comment.

I mean you could have actually looked up the price history on the very games you brought up...

But it's also pretty telling that you brought up Sony's smallest games this generation...

Pretty much every game there was a $70 AAA title, and you’d be hard pressed to see anyone call HFW and Demon Souls ‘small games’.

But I made it clear discounts are delivered by all publishers not named Nintendo. Multiple times, for that matter.

Hard to argue that Xbox games have limited appeal when Sea of Thieves is selling very well as a late port.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Phil says a lot of things.

You specifically said steamOS. Steam OS is a highly customised Linux distro.

You think they are going to throw Linux on a device that is Microsoft branded?
Steam then. Im not so serious about specifications. Im just saying Phil mentioned bring steam over, and then 3rd party will have console like devices that play all of it, like Steamdeck machines do now
 
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Killer8

Member
psst .. day 1 games aren't going anywhere. They're still doing day 1 games on PC and Ultimate.

psst... at a 25% increased price.

They took day one games out of this Standard tier yet are charging the existing Ultimate price for it. A tacit admission by MS that the day one model didn't work at the $15 price point.

They also said they wouldn't lock COD behind a new tier, but have de facto done just that by shifting price goalposts and introducing this new tier below it.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
To be fair, Spencer didn't mention any store by name. He was just asked about those two as examples. I think the main takeaway from all this is that the future of Xbox is going to be in the form of a PC, one way or another.
Yeah.
I just see the door opening to 3rd party jumping in with PC like “consoles” that play it all
 

BigLee74

Member
Still doing it but now with yearly price increases.
Guess what. You don’t need to subscribe and can go back to just buying games at anytime.

Subscription service prices go up. The cost of buying games goes up. Prices go up.

The new standard layer has been coming for a long time. I personally think they’ve got it exactly where they've always wanted it now.

If they can release 4 or 5 good day ones a year, then it’s probably still worth ultimate, but they’re definitely skirting with the line where a lot of folk will just drop down to core now.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
Just because there isn't enough confusion.......if Xbox Game Pass Standard will become available "in the coming months" and Xbox Game Pass for console will no longer be available starting tomorrow, it seems new console gamers who want access to Game Pass games will be forced to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate. Why the hell is it going to take months for Standard to be available?

sEJBtxv.png


Qihkwhr.png


Confusion Reaction GIF

Yep. As of today there is no option for Game Pass on console other than Game Pass Ultimate....


tFLW9yp.png
 

bender

What time is it?
Guess what. You don’t need to subscribe and can go back to just buying games at anytime.

Subscription service prices go up. The cost of buying games goes up. Prices go up.

The new standard layer has been coming for a long time. I personally think they’ve got it exactly where they've always wanted it now.

If they can release 4 or 5 good day ones a year, then it’s probably still worth ultimate, but they’re definitely skirting with the line where a lot of folk will just drop down to core now.
e21a6eab-ee7e-43f6-8c40-9fb20374e05c_text.gif
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
psst... at a 25% increased price.

eh ?

$17 to $20 is not a 25% price increase.

They took day one games out of this Standard tier yet are charging the existing Ultimate price for it. A tacit admission by MS that the day one model didn't work at the $15 price point.

Standard is $14.99

Ultimate was $16.99

It's not the same price ???


They also said they wouldn't lock COD behind a new tier, but have de facto done just that by shifting price goalposts and introducing this new tier below it.

There's no new GP tier that locks CoD. They were technically right, the best kind of right.

2/3 of your points are just flat out wrong, the third is also partially wrong.
 

bender

What time is it?
eh ?

$17 to $20 is not a 25% price increase.



Standard is $14.99

Ultimate was $16.99

It's not the same price ???




There's no new GP tier that locks CoD. They were technically right, the best kind of right.

2/3 of your points are just flat out wrong, the third is also partially wrong.

You should be banned for using a Futurama quote to carry Phil's water.
 

Killer8

Member
eh ?

$17 to $20 is not a 25% price increase.



Standard is $14.99

Ultimate was $16.99

It's not the same price ???




There's no new GP tier that locks CoD. They were technically right, the best kind of right.

2/3 of your points are just flat out wrong, the third is also partially wrong.

I completely forgot that they increased prices last year for Ultimate from $15 to $17 (I use cheap yearly codes).

So yes, I was wrong. But the worst kind of wrong - because this is now the second price increase in 13 months. It shows what kind of trajectory the pricing is on.

Shall we come back in July 2025 when it inevitably rises again to $23... or $25?
 

MacReady13

Member
you are all over the place my dude.

Do you see yourself as a dog or something?... not even "trained" dogs act like this

so.. do you see yourself just as a pice of code unable to act outside the instructions you are given?

its embarassing you think you have a smart argument.

1. has MS "trained" it's consumers to not buy games when they market the hell out of Game Pass?

+

2. all the Xbox influencers making songs about Game Pass, telling the audience GP is the best deal in gaming...."oh, I will wait until comes to game pass" etc...

=

we have data and devs saying that GP has indeed hurt games sales in that ecosystem.

thats it, nothing nonsensical about it.
Can I just ask Xbots a simple question- why is this equation above so hard to not only understand but agree with? There is nothing at all false in the above statement. NOTHING. Why is it so hard to at least agree with? You don't have to like it but you cannot deny it is 100% the truth.
 

Arthimura

Member
I re-subscribed to Gamepass for Console on my Xbox Series X this month just to play Hellblade 2, since I find $50 to expensive for a game so short.

However the more I see the current catalogue and the price increasing, the less I think it's worth to subscribe to it. The games stay so little time in the catalogue and some of them are removed from the online store due to licensing issues; that I find better to just buy the games that I really intend to play instead of keeping a subscription forever.
 

laynelane

Member
Sony has had a subscription service years before Game Pass even existed, it's called PlayStation Now (later rebranded to PlayStation Plus). Somehow, Sony's math showed that putting expensive games there on day one was not worth it, and that selling games while taking 30% commission fee on everything is more profitable.

This isn't about subscription services like PS Now, it's about Game Pass. We all know the history and we all know the differences in the sub services and how they were marketed. Or, in Game Pass' case, the sheer amount of lies from Phil and co. and the astroturfing from everyone else.
 
There is no version of steam on the windows store, so that would require them to put some form of vanilla windows on the box and make it accessible.

At which point it's no longer a console, that's a PC.
Not saying I think it will work for them in the end but do think its coming

If I were a betting man I am putting large sums of money on it as of today

Not an all in type of bet but a big one :)
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Not saying I think it will work for them in the end but do think its coming

If I were a betting man I am putting large sums of money on it as of today

Not an all in type of bet but a big one :)

I can’t imagine it makes financial sense for them to do that, tbh. They’ve made tons of missteps so far, but that would certainly rank high among the dumbest things they could do.

We’ll see.
 
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