Hold your wallets, if you want or need another .. Good Reason NOT to Renew Game Pass Ultimate
No, this isn’t about rogue chat bots running rampant during play sessions:
@OllieNorris posted a screenshot of their console’s message center, and it appears all of their recent conversations have been initiated by bots trying to likely scam the user. These messages typically have a link that will take the user to another page where they will be asked to input sensitive information.
“Hey Phil Spencer, seems like a pretty common issue…”: Xbox Players Plagued by Issue No-one Knows How to Fix, and Xbox Support Continue to Ignore (fandomwire.com)
No, not that and not necessarily the price increase.
Raising prices on cloud game streaming services is one thing — a market that even Microsoft has admitted struggling to attain subscriber numbers (see: Microsoft CEO of Gaming Hints Closing Game Pass if Subscriber Numbers Don’t Meet Expectations by 2027) — but introducing a totally-not-desirable new tier at the same price that takes away day one game release titles earns the “dumb” category at PGM.
Yeah, that sounds like what Microsoft is doing with Game Pass.
Game Pass Standard
This new tier appears to be Microsoft’s replacement for Game Pass Console. It’s not available yet but is due to appear in the coming months. Once out, it will cost $15 per month and offer perks such as select discounts, online multiplayer and other benefits of the soon-to-be phased-out Console tier. It won’t include games released on day one.
Best Xbox Game Pass Deals: Beat the Price Hike With These Subscription Deals – CNET
When it comes to streaming, it’s not just Microsoft raising prices, but I don’t understand at all why they are releasing this new “Standard” tier at the old Ultimate price and taking away the one thing that made the service most desirable. People aren’t going to be compelled to pay $5 less per month and not get to play the day one releases on their Xbox. Or are they? I sure wouldn’t want that deal.
Microsoft is really tossing and turning on the Game Pass. They’ve dicked around with this service almost as much as they have their Rewards program (see: Is Microsoft Intentionally Reducing Ways To Gain Points, While Increasing The Rewards Costs of Items Like Game Pass?)
Just for full disclosure: I don’t currently have an active subscription to Game Pass but do like and enjoy the service. I could buy a subscription using my Microsoft Rewards Points which used to cost 12,000 points, but probably goes up more. Perhaps even to the point one won’t be as easily able to earn one month for free using the Microsoft Rewards program which was a major reason to use the program in the first place.
I’ve been and still am a fan of Game Pass — only when I am focused and spending time playing games on it. Currently, I’m spending most my gaming time playing UNplayed PC games and pinball, and don’t see any point in subscribing until I’m ready to use the subscription. I will get back to it. Even at $20/month the price for Game Pass is reasonable to me — if it’s going to be played.
This is the major problem with all types of streaming services, and not only games. That last bit: if it’s going to be played. I’m trying to better discipline my gaming time and money toward what I’m actually playing at the moment (again, that 2024 goal is here: 2024 Resolution: Play ALL My Unplayed PC Games + How To Create Dynamic Unplayed Steam Collection)
There is such a thing as hoard streaming. It’s real. It’s the digital version of hoarding and it’s ridiculously easy to become a victim. We just keep subscribing and subscribing and we’re quickly outnumbered by the games.
The bottom line on what Microsoft is doing with Game Pass here will likely have the opposite effect on what they want: increase paid subscribers. Sure, they might make more money in the short term, but long term, the higher the prices go, the more limitations put on gamers, the more that will exit the service. If it gets bad enough, Microsoft may do what they threatened to do by 2027: just close the service.
What do you think of these rate hikes and the new Game Pass Standard tier? Do you want to pay $15/month for a tier that has no day one games, when for $5/more you get to play the $69+ AAA games?
Never used game pass. Barely touch the Xbox one I have. I can see the value of it though. AAA games are not pricy and GP would allow you to access those games without a huge cost commitment. Taking away day 1 releases does suck. Any time a company takes away what you see as a benefit, and then does something with the price, is never good from a consumer standpoint.