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Spencer: Xbox Game Pass isn't "burning money to gain customers"

Xbox Game Pass is a sustainable business venture, Xbox head Phil Spencer told Stevivor.

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stevivor.com
Gazondaily1356d ago

“I know some people — I’ve seen it — some people say, ‘Oh, they’re just kind of burning money left and right in order to gain customers so they can trick you into raising the price later.’

“There’s no model like that, for us,” he said. “We feel good in the business that we’re running now. We’re definitely investing in it, but not investing in a way that’s unsustainable."

There you go. Straight from the horses mouth. Now let me guess...he's lying right?

Gazondaily1356d ago (Edited 1356d ago )

LOL! Well I guess XGP is unsustainable and it will bankrupt Xbox /s

All that marketing might, all that push for this service and all that money spent on studios, only to throw it away because....I dont know, maybe for Xbox cares so much for gamers that its just practically giving games away lol.

Come on people. You really think Xbox haven't thought this through?

To me, the people saying its unsustainable is proof of just how incredible XGP is - that people think its too good to be true.

mikeslemonade1356d ago

The learned from Netflix. If you can get enough people paying the $5 a month then you make a lot of money.

gangsta_red1356d ago

@mikeslemonade

That is correct, you make a lot more money off of monthly and yearly subscribers than one time purchases.

Prem8tuaProcrastin8a1356d ago

Reply to second comment! Lmao!!!

Imalwaysright1356d ago (Edited 1356d ago )

mikeslemonade

Netflix? Netflix has $20 billion in debt and is operating at a loss.

RazzerRedux1356d ago (Edited 1356d ago )

@mikeslemonade

Difference is, Netflix needs to make money eventually from their subscribers. Game Pass doesn't really. The purpose of Game Pass isn't mean to be money making service. It adds value to the Xbox ecosystem and that's where the returns on investment come from.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 1356d ago
1356d ago Replies(10)
crazyCoconuts1356d ago

He's just playing with semantics again. When he says "we're definitely investing in it", that means burning money to get customers now at introductory rates that go up later. Investing=spending more now to get returns later.
If they ever got as successful as PS, they'd probably either raise rates or add a tier for Day 1 releases, imo

DJStotty1356d ago

@Crazy

I know right!!! might be crazy but i am sure that is how ANY business works. Lower prices to attract consumers.

aconnellan1355d ago

How is that semantics? He literally said:

“Some people say ‘Oh, they’re just kind of burning money left and right in order to gain customers so they can trick you into raising the price later.’

“There’s no model like that, for us“

That’s possibly the clearest I’ve ever heard Phil say something

crazyCoconuts1355d ago

@aconnellan, if you look closely, he's saying he doesn't plan on tricking you. No denial of "burning money" to get customers, which he cleverly positions as "investing"

Rachel_Alucard1355d ago

They did the same thing with Xbox live before the 360 released. They give out 2 months free with any game that had Live enabled on it for free. Then they stopped doing that altogether and the only vouchers that they gave out were a small 48 hour ones.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1355d ago
LordJamar1356d ago

There are so many arm chair businessman who swear it’s not sustainable on this website they apparently know more then Microsoft themselves a business that’s been going before they were even born

crazyCoconuts1356d ago

Let me see if I can replay your logic: If company was founded before you were born, you do not know more than the "company", and are foolish to question them.

crazyCoconuts1356d ago

1st of all, MS has failed on plenty of endeavors - they're definitely not infallible. Secondly, speaking for myself personally, I don't think their "give it away" approach for now is a bad business move. They have cash to invest, it may be a sensible gamble - but I don't think they're profitable on this yet.

1356d ago
gangsta_red1356d ago

@Silver

Sony has been doing it for a lot longer with PSvue and PSnow.

They must know that it works and can get away with it because MS will always be blamed.

God bless their hearts.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1356d ago
timotim1356d ago

Its too simple. They are running out of talking points when it comes to XGP so naturally they wont like this. Now its all about how much of a profit haha...how about we just celebrate a consumer friendly service that also benefits the devs/pubs and provides tons of value to gamers...why spin it to a negative?

1356d ago
timotim1356d ago

You're off topic. And who said that was suppose to be negative? I thought it was pretty funny actually. Not funny in a negative way, but funny in a funny way. The same way I was able to laugh at the Xbox fridge, I found that funny too.

TK-661356d ago (Edited 1356d ago )

@Sceptic

"There’s no model like that, for us,”

Someone needs to make a meme of N4G sweating over the red button right now. XGP is burning money, or MS arent willing to take risks with their money. Which will they press?

Gazondaily1356d ago

Lol yeah.The narrative keeps changing. Its unsustainable or Sony did it first or...MS isnt competitive enough. Crazy!

Muzikguy1356d ago

Nobody is saying GP is bad because Sony didn't think of it first.

DJStotty1356d ago

Dont forget the fallback arguments of,

"xbox has no exclusive games lolz"

"xbox has no 1st party studios lolz"

yomfweeee1356d ago

Yes. Spencer lies all the time.

Do you realize how many promotions they have regarding Game pass?

Kelloggs products
Energy Drinks
AMD
Spotify
Discord
Their own free trials, $1 trials, free pgradea to UGP.

They are giving it away like you've never seen.

I have had GP 6+ months already. I have it for the max of the next 36 months. I have paid $100 for 42+ months of UGP.

Automatic791356d ago

@Septic

If people are debating the value Xbox GamePass brings. They have lost there mind. I wish I had this subscription when I was younger.

Kribwalker1356d ago

sega channel 😉 Being a nintendo household i never had it, but my neighbour across the street did and we spend rainy afternoons in trying all the games

gravedigger1355d ago

""Xbox Series X reveal had 45 million viewers.

Sony PS5 announcement 329K viewers.

Hilarious. "

MS doesn't own TGA so your comparison is FAIL, Automatic79. TGA announced viewer numbers for their own whole show, not for XSX specific. Cheers, spinner!

Atticus_finch1356d ago

MS has never lied before....SMH

Christopher1356d ago

The model is to sell the subscription as well as the typically higher-per-dollar-spent DLC. I have no clue how much they're making on DLC, but it must be enough.

Gazondaily1356d ago

I suspect that it's enough, it has to be.