Xbox Game Pass downgraded from killer app to ‘just another option’

Xbox boss Phil Spencer suggest Xbox Game Pass is no longer as important to the business as it once was.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

I am not surprised imo because it felt like that for awhile.

[S2Killinit]

Truth is that it was always sort of a lie. You were getting a couple of “day one” per year but they had trained people to think they were going to get all games day one.

[GhostScholar]

That is just false. It was never even eluded to that any games other than first party would be day one. Also it’s only April and we’ve already got more than “a couple” day one games.

[TheEroica]

What a misinformed comment... As bad a take as I've read in a while.

[InUrFoxHole]

Cmon guy. You really believed all games were coming day one when they've always said 1st party only?

[S2Killinit]

They did it really carefully, i didnt say they ever said “all games are day one” but they created an impression like that was the case. For instance nowhere did people actually see a list of day one games in articles or from MS’s mouth, but they kept saying “all first party” as if the number of day one games was something amazing. Truth is that they were getting a couple of games per year max on average. (Not sure what its like now)

@GhostScholar
Again, not sure what you got this year. But honestly is it even remotely worth it? Also, they get “day ones” on PSPlus as well, just not first party, and they are not paying $20/month for it.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

It's not like they could do any differently, it takes a lot of money to keep the Gamepass monster fed, to put the majority of games on there day one is just going to drain too much money. They may have considered it at one point to try and kill off Playstation/Nintendo, but it's not a viable long-term strategy.

[Fishy Fingers]

That's an interesting way to interpret it I suppose.

[darthv72]

I'd still consider it a killer app. I have been using it quite a bit for cloud streaming. And with the recent change to remote play, I will likely start using the cloud side of GPU even more. Once you start jumping into and out of games without having to install them... it really does feel like netflix of gaming. I'd even say PS+ Premium is a killer app. I'm glad Sony has opened up cloud streaming to the portal as well. They just need to expand the library now to include PS3 titles.

[Kornholic]

"Once you start jumping into and out of games without having to install them."

That sounds like a fine idea at first. Until you realize that there is absolutely no practical need or reason to jump from game to game without installing them.

[PhillyDonJawn]

There's plenty reason.

[Tacoboto]

Series S COD player wanting to play literally anything else without having to uninstall that monstrosity

[NiceneCreeder]

@PhillyDonJawn yeah thanks for that exhaustive list of reasons. so many. plenty.

[InUrFoxHole]

@Kornholic
Are you trying to tell gamers that they've never bought a new game and said.. wish I could just start the game and not have to wait for install.

[PanicMechanic]

Subscription services need to go burn in hell

[CrimsonWing69]

Maybe they’re seeing better sales releasing on PlayStation. To the consumer Gamepass is kind of an amazing deal, but I’ve always questioned how lucrative it is for publishers.

[babadivad]

I'm a customer. So it's great for me.

[Tacoboto]

In the days of ever-increasing prices, one would think gamers would appreciate the bang-for-the-buck Xbox Game Pass provides.

Especially because they're so critical over Nintendo's Switch 2 pricing.

But, the reality (here especially) is that so many gamers are hypocrites driven by a PlayStation-first mentality. It's sad but is perfectly reflected in the downvotes here

[lodossrage]

@Tacoboto

The arguments aren't the same.

The gripe about Nintendo's prices being high is one thing

The gripe about gamepass was always that it's driving the industry to a place where there's no sense of ownership.

Sure gamepass gives you bang for your buck, but the price to be paid is that you don't own anything.

I can't speak for everyone here, but I myself, as much as I hate Nintendo's pricing, if you asked me which would I pick between that or losing my sense of ownership, I'm taking Nintendo's game price hike.

[Tacoboto]

"The gripe about gamepass was always that it's driving the industry to a place where there's no sense of ownership"

Based on no precedent or rationale. Game Pass members get perks and sales to *buy* games. Most titles on GP get 10-20% off. Sometimes Xbox throws random 90% off deals to *buy* games. Every single game pass game can be bought.

Heck, I can still play games I bought over 20 years ago on my Xbox. This argument against them is so ridiculous and wrong.

[lodossrage]

"Based on no precedent or rationale. Game Pass members get perks and sales to *buy* games. Most titles on GP get 10-20% off. Sometimes Xbox throws random 90% off deals to *buy* games. Every single game pass game can be bought. "

Dude, the system is a RENTAL service. Just because they give you a perk to buy the game at a discount before it leaves the service doesn't negate the fact that once it's off the service you have to pay for it once it's gone.

Nor does it change the fact that they want to push people into a place where ownership fades away.

[Profchaos]

@tacoboto the thing is I might pay a high price for a game but I can take my time exploring every inch of it for as long as I want I mean I still have nes carts no one is taking those away until they decay and die.

When I play a game like gamepass I feel so rushed that getting through a 80 hour game like a yakuza game is a giant effort to the point where I should just buy it and forget about any subscription services if after all I will be playing it exclusively for 3 months.

I've had gamepass for a few years personally I finally let it lapse because I came to the conclusion it was no longer for me the old games that come to the service from Activision I've owned for years and the new games are mostly indies and any big new exclusive games from third party's feel rushed to be on a sub and not readily like Payday 3 while first party is great I can afford to buy those instead of paying monthly for a service I hardly use

[franwex]

I subscribe on and off. If there are a couple of games I want to try I do it for a month. I then maybe play some other stuff. It’s like renting games for the weekend in the 90s. I’m not going to buy every game, but I’m okay with trying out a few games here and there.

[Lightning77]

Talk about severe click bait.

‘I look at Game Pass as a healthy option for certain people,’ explained Spencer, ‘It’s not for everybody. If you play one or two games a year, Game Pass probably isn’t the right business model for you, you should just buy those two games, and that would make total sense. But I want you to have the choice.’

That's the whole point of GP. If you play allot of games it's for you. If you don't then don't subscribe and buy the games that interest you. Pretty straightforward GP is an option. Always has been a option like wtf? Ignorant article.

He never said anything about it not being important part of the buissness when GP is literally the their biggest gaming model for Xbox.

[__y2jb]

Xbox is no longer their biggest earner, PlayStation is. So yeah GP is fading into obscurity because of that.

[Lightning77]

Wrong they're literally doing both. Traditional sales on platforms like PS and Switch and (yes even their own still) funds GP ventures and day one releases. The studios healthy it keeps GP going.

Not let's slow down GP because we found PS for studio health. Makes no sense.

Fading into obscurity? How so? Ninja Gaiden 4, Obscure 33, Doom, Tony Hawk 3, 4 etc and the June showcase how is it fading into Obscurity in what way?

[Si-Fly]

Fading into obscurity 😆 Okay bro 😅

[__y2jb]

There probably won’t be another Xbox, why would anyone buy one at this point? The sales have completely collapsed and they’ve given in. GP now only has PC as a viable market and PC gamers aren’t going to be a huge user base for them as they all use steam and have access to frequent sales. Xbox is toast now, GP is toast soon.

[Lightning77]

"There probably won’t be another Xbox, why would anyone buy one at this point?"

They're making a new console already been confirmed multiple times nauseam at this point. How many times does this need to be repeated?

They've seen substantial PC GP growth. Their games are already on Steam and everywhere else at this point for sales.

Nothing's toast. You're the fanboy type so course it's all bad for no reason because you want it to be. Meanwhile the price hikes going up across Nintendo and Sony at the moment. If Xbox rises the price of GP Im on their ass also.

[__y2jb]

It’s just incredible that there are people who still want to argue that everything is just fine at Xbox. Like they haven’t seen the past decade of complete and utter failure. It’s just insane.

[NiceneCreeder]

agree. its done. xbots huffing the copium

[Lightning77]

So currently how is not fine at Xbox? Because they're not selling consoles and Xbox fanboys can't brag about console sales yet the other fanboys can? That's fanboy discourse that means nothing, but to ppl like you I guess it does. They make money on software and supporting the studios with multiplat release fueling GP and keeping studio lights on? Right things are very dire... So dire.

You should be worried about Bungie and Marathon if that doesn't do well instead of fake out crying for no reason that you're doing.

Yep that was decade in a half a mishaps. How does that translate into what going on now with Xbox? Please do tell.

[__y2jb]

@lightning congratulations you have actually overtaken Obscure as the most blinded, bizarre, logic ignoring poster. A feat no one thought possible but you’ve done it, congratulations !

[Lightning77]

"@lightning congratulations you have actually overtaken Obscure as the most blinded, bizarre, logic ignoring poster. A feat no one thought possible but you’ve done it, congratulations !"

On then explain then?

All I used was facts. People like you don't like facts. What, you can't argue against facts? You're a child who gets offended by facts that go against your narrative, that's it now you're mad because you cant refute any of it. Make better arguments next time.

But go ahead and refute or tell me how I'm ignoring logic and how am I blind. What am I blind to? Now explain way listening.

[PanicMechanic]

Well said lightning, console hardware sales are not important at all. Xbox going down 50%+ YOY? Nah man it’s fine, these haters are talking through their bum. Marathon and Sony ? Wow you’re right….. Sony are done????!!??? Why the hell does a company need to sell consoles? These people are stupid man wow! A publisher doesn’t need market share, as you explained that’s not important. It’s about fueling gamepass and talking crap about PlayStation. That’s how a publisher takes in the dough, not through consoles sales, games sales and market share! In fact I’d say and I’m sure you’d agree, the fewer consoles a publisher sells, the better.

And 100%, these last 10 years of MS and Xbox fail after fail? Ummmmm excusey me sensei? what “these last 10 years of MS and Xbox fail after fail?” That’s rubbish and has no bearing on a company. Once a new year starts, the previous year debt and issues automatically wipe away. Don’t these Ponies understand it?

Pc game pass subs have increased significantly you say? Wow that’s just incredible. So amazing. I’m just so impressed with how hard Microsoft are dominating. PC game pass is most definitely totally fine, the pc app is the greatest app in the history of apps and definitely doesn’t have any inherent issues at all, not all all and if anybody says “MS hasn’t updated us on GP figures for over a year now and PC game pass is not user friendly, has major problems MS seemingly aren’t willing to fix” then it’s fake news. It’s all completely fake news and they need to be deported to Mexico

[Lightning77]

"Xbox going down 50%+ YOY? Nah man it’s fine, these haters are talking through their bum."

I waited for someone to mention console sales. As that's the only argument seems like. Clearly that doesn't matter to MS nearly as much as the other systems they've found ways to make money and it's working. I don't know what else to tell you except stay upset I guess.

"Marathon and Sony ? Wow you’re right….. Sony are done????!!??? Why the hell does a company need to sell consoles?"

Sony will be fine but Bungie might get even more absorbed within Sony's other studios. Further downsizing the company if the game doesn't perform well. Sony still believes in selling consoles so I don't know what you mean.

"A publisher doesn’t need market share, as you explained that’s not important."

Clearly MS doesn't need console market share. 2 different brands 2 different goals. Why is that hard to understand? It's pretty obvious.

"It’s about fueling gamepass and talking crap about PlayStation."

Here we go. So raising prices and Marathon is make or break for Sony is talking crap? How so? Is it fact or not?

Cool you can live and the past and shake your hand at them still and lose sleep. Us regular ppl will move on, but you have fun I guess. You ppl are weird, very weird.

Are you hear to refute or debate? Or to waste time?

[Chevalier]

Idiot Xbots going to do their thing. No way you convince them otherwise. Everything is perfect in Xbox land

[MagUk]

Ahh it’s from the metro. Moving on.

[Reaper22_]

Fake news as usual.

[senorfartcushion]

I love how all of these companies are banking on new ways of ripping of other services (this is Netflix for games, obviously) until the idea fizzles out.

[thesoftware730]

I never heard anyone call it a "Killer App", most fans peg it as "The best value in gaming"...but not killer app.

When I read the headline, I thought it was about the Xbox mobile phone app.

Anyway, GP is Fantastic.

[Zerobalance]

I'm playing Atomfall on Xbox via GamePass. Very good game. The best game I've played in a while. Rebellion said GamePass in good for them. Guess what? GamePass is good for me, when I need it. Go figure!

[Dandizzle]

It would help alot if the application and system/service wasn't so janky. Like MS says I dont have permissions on my own PC to access or delete an empty folder of a game I tried years ago from game pass.

-If your game gets corrupted do you get an option to verify files NO, gotta re-download the entire game again....
-Streaming.... Xbox streaming is absolute jank at best. Wildly inconsistent and random lag.
-Game selection is mostly just the same tired group of games

If MS actually put in effort and talent behind making Game Pass work they could, but they are so wildly incompetent.

[anast]

He already got the juice out of the squeeze and now the customers are going to be left hanging out to dry. Enjoy your app.

[Bathyj]

Just another piece of spaghetti that didn't stick to the wall

[TheColbertinator]

I subscribe here and there on PC from time to time. It is a good service, I just don't see it as my main focus for personal gaming selection this year or any year since launch.

[Profchaos]

To me he basically said if you only play two games a year gamepass isn't for you that's not the same as a company saying XYZ isn't meeting expectations were shifting focus

[JBlaze226]

Not exactly what Phil said so to think it's just another option is bonkers. The fact is gamepass is an option, it was never mandatory. Phil has always been for the gamers unlike Sony and Now Nintendo.

[Abear21]

Translation: new Xbox hardware announcement incoming…

[PanicMechanic]

Xbox Game Pass Killer App? Mmm yes, I love Xbox game pass’ gameplay. So good

[Cockney]

Its simple enough, they've had a taste of profits from selling on playstation, and they taste good

[InUrFoxHole]

Gp is the best value in gaming... Period

[Deathpreacher]

good it's home was the bin all along.