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What (I'm Hoping) Xbox Game Pass Is Going to Be

Arnox

Master
Staff member
Founder
Messages
5,285
When I first saw Game Pass, I didn't really give it another thought. Oh great. Another games subscription service. How FUN. We need more of THOSE. So I filed it under "Don't care." in my mind and moved on with my life.

But then, people just wouldn't shut the hell up about it. My motivation to finally reconsider the service was when it became clear that Phil Spencer and co. really believed in this product and saw it as one of the many key forces of Microsoft gaming going forward. There were also people commenting all the time in videos about how nice the service was.

Ok, fine... Let's take another look at this. So here's my prime fears for this service. Microsoft is going to try to orient more and more gamers into using this service instead of buying physical. Physical games are one of the strengths that console gaming has over PC gaming, and for Microsoft to push for everything to be digital would take away a major incentive to buy a console in the first place. This is why I was so disdainful of Game Pass in the first place.

Alright, so that's the possible grim future. But could this service actually have advantages too? Could it be used for good instead of evil? Actually yes. Spencer talks about how one of Game Pass' strengths is allowing people to try out games that they may never have tried out had they needed to pay first to play it. The service removes a large barrier in the way of trying out new experiences. This is obviously great for the indie scene, it's great for players, and it's great for Microsoft. Game Pass also gives a bigger incentive for anyone selling games on the Xbox to actually make a quality game. Now anyone can try out that game without risk, and it will be pretty apparent after a while if the game is shit. So no sales and even the potential for more bad press.

And that's what I'm hoping Microsoft will keep Game Pass as. A service that works WITH physical sales and supports them instead of trying to push them out. Time will tell though if this is really what we're gonna get.
 

gaijinkaiju

Lord Inquisitor
Sanctuary legend
Sanctuary contributor
Messages
612
Alright, so that's the possible grim future. But could this service actually have advantages too? Could it be used for good instead of evil? Actually yes. Spencer talks about how one of Game Pass' strengths is allowing people to try out games that they may never have tried out had they needed to pay first to play it.
Or I could just borrow a game from a friend, kinda like this
 

gaijinkaiju

Lord Inquisitor
Sanctuary legend
Sanctuary contributor
Messages
612
Do you have a friend that somehow has the entire Xbox catalog in physical format? If so, hook me up with that.
He's currently out at sea
edit: nvm, didn't see the physical part
 
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