Absolum devs: "Xbox just wasn't a priority and it is not in our plans for this title."

Why do you assume people will buy new games every month? The allure of Game Pass was the access to many games for a low price. If the price isn't low anymore, the attraction is gone and people will go back to buying games. But I suspect most of the Game Pass audience weren't buying a new full priced game every month before Game Pass arrived and they won't start doing that if they stop using Game Pass again.
Let's make an Xbox Console Gamepass user Persona.
persona-5-review_htue.jpg

1. Male
2. 35 years old
3. Halo, CoD, Overwatch, Fortnite, or anything free
4. Stacks months of gamepass in advance
5. Can afford 30 dollars a month for gamepass but refuse to pay it
6. Before gamepass, "weren't buying a new full priced game every month before Game Pass arrived and they won't start doing that if they stop using Game Pass again."
7. Madden, FIFA, "the boys," voice chat
8. Hate's soulslike, too difficult but loves multiplayer(?)
9. Chad in college, has a wife, plays on the side, "this guy fucks"
10. Degenerate fucking gambler, lost all his money to online gaming, wife found out, left him, wife's family knows, hates him, he opened a new gambling account tonight
Im Sure No Doubt GIF by Star Wars

Now are you telling me that this persona is gonna buy Absolum at full price?
Meryl Streep Doubt GIF

Run Away The Office GIF
 
Let's make an Xbox Console Gamepass user Persona.
persona-5-review_htue.jpg

1. Male
2. 35 years old
3. Halo, CoD, Overwatch, Fortnite, or anything free
4. Stacks months of gamepass in advance
5. Can afford 30 dollars a month for gamepass but refuse to pay it
6. Before gamepass, "weren't buying a new full priced game every month before Game Pass arrived and they won't start doing that if they stop using Game Pass again."
7. Madden, FIFA, "the boys," voice chat
8. Hate's soulslike, too difficult but loves multiplayer(?)
9. Chad in college, has a wife, plays on the side, "this guy fucks"
10. Degenerate fucking gambler, lost all his money to online gaming, wife found out, left him, wife's family knows, hates him, he opened a new gambling account tonight
Im Sure No Doubt GIF by Star Wars

Now are you telling me that this persona is gonna buy Absolum at full price?
Meryl Streep Doubt GIF

Run Away The Office GIF


Cringe Reaction GIF
 
This is a pretty common refrain for indie devs and a lot of mid-tier studios at this point - I've talked to so many that don't want to bother with the Xbox. If they aren't getting a Game Pass deal, it literally isn't worth the effort due to terrible sales for these types of titles. Xbox absolutely squandered every opportunity around this market that they used to dominate.

I remember Xbox Live Arcade and all of the indie games that broke into the public consciousness. Shadow Complex, Castle Crashers, Geometry Wars. Seeing Microsoft lose their crown for being the platform for indie games to Nintendo is just sad.
 
You suggesting they buy the much weaker $800 Xbox Series X, not pay $160 yearly for PS+ Premium, instead pay $360 yearly for GamePass and still buy all the games that don't release on GP at full price, assuming those games release on Xbox at all?
No, I'm suggesting they keep the console they already have, downgrade to Premium for $15 month or do the Essential to Ultimate conversion to secure Ultimate for $15 month for 15 months. That's $180 yearly.

And buy whatever games they want. Get a used PS5 too if they can for the couple Sony exclusives.
 
You have to be in the ID@Xbox program for indies to secure Gamepass deals. If a game isn't in development pipeline or published on Xbox, why would Xbox give them a deal? So it's a flawed logic.

You don't. That might be the case if you want your game to get scooped up by them organically, but being in ID@XBox isn't a requirement.
 
Let's make an Xbox Console Gamepass user Persona.
persona-5-review_htue.jpg

1. Male
2. 35 years old
3. Halo, CoD, Overwatch, Fortnite, or anything free
4. Stacks months of gamepass in advance
5. Can afford 30 dollars a month for gamepass but refuse to pay it
6. Before gamepass, "weren't buying a new full priced game every month before Game Pass arrived and they won't start doing that if they stop using Game Pass again."
7. Madden, FIFA, "the boys," voice chat
8. Hate's soulslike, too difficult but loves multiplayer(?)
9. Chad in college, has a wife, plays on the side, "this guy fucks"
10. Degenerate fucking gambler, lost all his money to online gaming, wife found out, left him, wife's family knows, hates him, he opened a new gambling account tonight
Im Sure No Doubt GIF by Star Wars

Now are you telling me that this persona is gonna buy Absolum at full price?
Meryl Streep Doubt GIF

Run Away The Office GIF

Anchorman GIF
 
You can still sell it on there and not be on GP. There are still over 40 million Xbox owners out there (at least). So if they can sell it on PS4 there is no reason to not sell it on Xbox.
40 million who would rather wait for a game to drop on Game Pass than buying it vs 117 million who would rather buy a game.
 
Helldivers 2 didn't even chart
If you'd been more informed, you'd know that the paper data the studio provided can be no accurate, as Mat Piscatella (Circana) himself pointed out as the reason for this situation.. Also, the list is based on dollars, not units, and that MGS and Mafia were on that list, which have consistently been lower on the XBOX best-seller list, where HD2 still remains as one of the tops.
And for more details... On the most-played XBOX list provided by Mat Piscatella himself, HD2 is in the top 5 even this past week. .

But hey!! 🤷
Unless Microsoft is paying them, there is no reason to port this to the Game Pass Machine.
LOL. Only 2+3% of the games coming to XBOX are or have been on GamePass... The joke is believing that 97-98% of the games coming to Xbox are because MS pays them or hoping that MS will notice them at some point as a lottery. 🙇

Then, about the OP.... There are a significant number of indie games that have announced an XBOX/PC version and not a PS5 version. But no threads are made about them. 🤷

The reality is that now the news is that some indie games aren't releasing an XBOX version... Imagine when in previous generations of XBOX the news was that big games and franchises (especially Asian and Japanese ones) weren't coming to XBOX... I think it's that evolution that's worth discussing.


PS. It's not that we haven't had as many threads like this with other games in the same situation and some creating their narrative, and suddenly the XBOX version was announced (and not on GamePass) and silence is what remained. 🤔
 
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BS. I buy games on there all the time and others do too. Quit pulling your PS fanboy crap.
LOL. Only 2+3% of the games coming to XBOX are or have been on GamePass... The joke is believing that 97-98% of the games coming to Xbox are because MS pays them. 🙇

Then, about the OP.... There are a significant number of indie games that have announced an XBOX/PC version and not a PS5 version. But no threads are made about them. 🤷

The reality is that now the news is that some indie games aren't releasing an XBOX version... Imagine when in previous generations of XBOX the news was that big games and franchises (especially Asian and Japanese ones) weren't coming to XBOX... I think it's that evolution that's worth discussing.


PS. It's not that we haven't had as many threads like this with other games in the same situation and some creating their narrative, and suddenly the XBOX version was announced (and not on GamePass) and silence is what remained. 🤔

Also read the comments in this thread


Actual Xbox users admitting that they don't buy games.
 

Also read the comments in this thread


Actual Xbox users admitting that they don't buy games.


And you also have stories of people who buy a console just for COD, FIFA, or NBA... 🤷
The thing is, I don't know what you're trying to answer about the issue you were raising with those links... I repeat, the reality is that 97% of games coming to XBOX aren't or haven't been on GamePass. I mean, it's up to you to evaluate the reason why 97% of studios and publishers of all kinds release their games on Xbox (without being on GamePass) and why it's the Xbox generation where the greatest number of games of all origins, genres, and sizes come to XBOX...

Because whether or not the game in question is released on Xbox certainly won't be specifically tied to whether or not MS converts it to a GamePass game. And you have, as an example, each of the games that were once the subject of a similar thread with specific people wanting to pitch their narrative, and which, coincidentally, the vast majority were ultimately released on Xbox... and without being part of GamePass.
 
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And you also have stories of people who buy a console just for COD, FIFA, or NBA... 🤷
The thing is, I don't know what you're trying to answer about the issue you were raising with those links... I repeat, the reality is that 97% of games coming to XBOX aren't or haven't been on GamePass. I mean, it's up to you to evaluate the reason why 97% of studios and publishers of all kinds release their games on Xbox (without being on GamePass) and why it's the Xbox generation where the greatest number of games of all origins, genres, and sizes come to XBOX...
Microsoft literally admitted Game Pass cannibalized sales.
 
Microsoft literally admitted Game Pass cannibalized sales.
...referring to their first-party games being available on GamePass on day one. But again, it's up to you to evaluate why 97% of studios and publishers release their games on Xbox knowing they won't be available on GamePass....
 
...referring to their first-party games being available on GamePass on day one. But again, it's up to you to evaluate why 97% of studios and publishers release their games on Xbox knowing they won't be available on GamePass....
And most people on that reddit thread admitted that they would rather buy those 3% games then the other 97%.
 
Microsoft literally admitted Game Pass cannibalized sales.
For first party games yes. However, indies that launch Day 1 are usually fully compensated for their development, so they are broke even before release, and being allowed to sell everywhere for profits.

After the 12-18 month contract, those games leave Gamepass, then the only option is to buy them.

Third party AAA games don't even get added to Gamepass for 12-60 months.
 
And most people on that reddit thread admitted that they would rather buy those 3% games then the other 97%.

OK and despite what those people admitted in that Reddit thread , 97% of studios and publishers release their games on Xbox without being part of GamePass and it is the generation where an XBox console has received (by far) the best support for games of all types, genres and origins. I certainly don't think they'd do that unless they had the foresight to capitalize on that release within the Xbox ecosystem.
 
It's a dead console, why should it be a priority??

It's like saying: "Sega Saturn is not a priority and it's not coming later"

Nobody actually buys games for Xbox anymore, so it doesn't matter if they port it or not on that platform

Sales are all on Playstation, Steam, Nintendo
 
For first party games yes. However, indies that launch Day 1 are usually fully compensated for their development, so they are broke even before release, and being allowed to sell everywhere for profits.

After the 12-18 month contract, those games leave Gamepass, then the only option is to buy them.

Third party AAA games don't even get added to Gamepass for 12-60 months.
So you are admitting that without Gamepass indies are not profitable on Xbox?
OK and despite what those people admitted in that Reddit thread , 97% of studios and publishers release their games on Xbox without being part of GamePass and it is the generation where an XBox console has received (by far) the best support for games of all types, genres and origins. I certainly don't think they'd do that unless they had the foresight to capitalize on that release within the Xbox ecosystem.
And most people on Xbox would rather play those 3% on Game Pass than buy those 97% on the store.
 
And most people on Xbox would rather play those 3% on Game Pass than buy those 97% on the store.
The situation is that the vast majority of studio and publisher games (97%) come to XBOX without going through GamePass... It mean, your conclusion is irrelevant because a studio doesn't need their game to be part of GamePass to decide to release it on XBOX...

But hey!🤷
 
The situation is that the vast majority of studio and publisher games (97%) come to XBOX without going through GamePass... It mean, your conclusion is irrelevant because a studio doesn't need their game to be part of GamePass to decide to release it on XBOX...

But hey!🤷
Clearly many publishers are avoiding Xbox.
 
Clearly many publishers are avoiding Xbox.
Lol. False. Unless you consider "many" a number of indie or niche games (which mostly end up coming out later on XBOX but then nobody even remembers the name of the game)..... We already have many examples of that situation.🤷

You are simply in the generation where an Xbox console has received and continues to receive (because even now it has better support than at the beginning of gen) the best game support from all kinds of Studios and publishers...... That we are here discussing the non-release of an indie game while there are others during the year that are released on Xbox / PC and not on PS5 when in other times it was discussed if Yakuza, Monster Hunter, Kingdom Heart, Final Fantasy etc, etc were not released on XBox...... makes the mere discussion of the subject look ridiculous. But hey!!
 
I'm surprised they didn't get a gamepass deal - whoever the guy is who picks up indie titles has been knocking it out of the park picking up the break out hits - Pal World, Clair Obscur, Blue Prince, Manor Lords.
 
Lol. False. Unless you consider "many" a number of indie or niche games (which mostly end up coming out later on XBOX but then nobody even remembers the name of the game)..... We already have many examples of that situation.🤷

You are simply in the generation where an Xbox console has received and continues to receive (because even now it has better support than at the beginning of gen) the best game support from all kinds of Studios and publishers...... That we are here discussing the non-release of an indie game while there are others during the year that are released on Xbox / PC and not on PS5 when in other times it was discussed if Yakuza, Monster Hunter, Kingdom Heart, Final Fantasy etc, etc were not released on XBox...... makes the mere discussion of the subject look ridiculous. But hey!!
The ambassador program really brings in strange kind of people.
 
The ambassador program really brings in strange kind of people.
LOL. You don't have to be anything special to see the reality of the situation. You just have to look at the catalog and the games coming to XS and compare them with those coming to Xbox consoles in past generations. Before, the question was whether games like FF, Monster Hunter, Persona, Yakuza, etc, etc, would come to XBOX... Now we're discussing games whose names I don't think you even remember. 🤷
Another thing is not wanting to make the effort to see it because it breaks the intended narrative. Your answer demonstrates that in your case. 😉
 
LOL. You don't have to be anything special to see the reality of the situation. You just have to look at the catalog and the games coming to XS and compare them with those coming to Xbox consoles in past generations. Before, the question was whether games like FF, Monster Hunter, Persona, Yakuza, etc, etc, would come to XBOX... Now we're discussing games whose names I don't think you even remember. 🤷
Another thing is not wanting to make the effort to see it because it breaks the intended narrative. Your answer demonstrates that in your case. 😉
Xbox 360 and OG Xbox were getting way more exclusives even Japanese exclusives buddy.
 
Xbox 360 and OG Xbox were getting way more exclusives even Japanese exclusives buddy.
It's funny how you're diverting the discussion from discussing the level and degree of support that 3rd party Studios and publishers give to Xbox... to discussing whether Xbox had any more Japanese exclusives during the X360 era.That says it all.

Then, for every Japanese exclusive the X360 had (which were also first-party), it lost 10+ games from major Japanese franchises that weren't released on Xbox and remained PS3/PS4 exclusives.
Now the situation is the opposite: those games are multiplatform and have an XBOX version. It's up to you to decide if the situation is better or not. 😉
 
Let's make an Xbox Console Gamepass user Persona.
persona-5-review_htue.jpg

1. Male
2. 35 years old
3. Halo, CoD, Overwatch, Fortnite, or anything free
4. Stacks months of gamepass in advance
5. Can afford 30 dollars a month for gamepass but refuse to pay it
6. Before gamepass, "weren't buying a new full priced game every month before Game Pass arrived and they won't start doing that if they stop using Game Pass again."
7. Madden, FIFA, "the boys," voice chat
8. Hate's soulslike, too difficult but loves multiplayer(?)
9. Chad in college, has a wife, plays on the side, "this guy fucks"
10. Degenerate fucking gambler, lost all his money to online gaming, wife found out, left him, wife's family knows, hates him, he opened a new gambling account tonight
Im Sure No Doubt GIF by Star Wars

Now are you telling me that this persona is gonna buy Absolum at full price?
Meryl Streep Doubt GIF

Run Away The Office GIF

I'm sorry, but I didn't ask for your life story.

Consumer habits get set. I don't see any meaningful increase in games purchases on Xbox, even if they cancel Game Pass.

The trust deficient in the Xbox console library is another factor that will prevent people into buying games.

Ok, if we assume that a third of the console players on Xbox cancel their Game Pass subscription, you don't think it'll show in the sales?
 
No, you see, they will all buy $750 PS5 Pro Consoles, subscribe to PS+ Premium and then still buy new games at full price. I'm told, that's how every human gamer should be doing.
That's exactly what I did, sold my Series X to fund the PS5 Pro, grabbed 4 years of PS+ Premium using the PS Now trick and I'm still buying the games I actually want to play.
 
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That's exactly what I did, sold my Series X to fund the PS5 Pro, grabbed 4 years of PS+ Premium using the PS Now trick and I'm still buying the games I actually want to play.
What's the PS Now trick? What was the yearly effective rate?

So you did what you thought was best for you. When did you do it, after Gamepass pricing hike? Now let others decide what's best for themselves, no need to get frustrated if others don't make same decisions as you. That's my point, live and let live.
 
What's the PS Now trick? What was the yearly effective rate?

So you did what you thought was best for you. When did you do it, after Gamepass pricing hike? Now let others decide what's best for themselves, no need to get frustrated if others don't make same decisions as you. That's my point, live and let live.
For a short period, you could convert your remaining PS Now months into PS+ Premium, it came down to about 50/60$ a year, so it was a pretty sweet deal :p

I sold my Xbox Series X (and my PS5) last November, which fully funded the Pro. I'm still subbed to Game Pass Ultimate until April '26. Maybe I'll switch to PC GP if it's still around by then, at 15$/month, it's still a good deal.

I'm not telling anyone what to do with their money, just sharing my own experience. :)
 
It's funny how you're diverting the discussion from discussing the level and degree of support that 3rd party Studios and publishers give to Xbox... to discussing whether Xbox had any more Japanese exclusives during the X360 era.That says it all.

Then, for every Japanese exclusive the X360 had (which were also first-party), it lost 10+ games from major Japanese franchises that weren't released on Xbox and remained PS3/PS4 exclusives.
Now the situation is the opposite: those games are multiplatform and have an XBOX version. It's up to you to decide if the situation is better or not. 😉
I want nothing to do with the Xbox ecosystem after leaving during the Xone reveal. There is no doubt though that support has increased from Japanese devs. They did get some Japanese exclusives during 360 but were missing even bigger titles on top of that. Other than Trails, Ys, and Atelier series I don't know what other major japanese dev they are missing that I care about at least.
 
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I want nothing to do with the Xbox ecosystem after leaving during the Xone reveal. There is no doubt though that support has increased from Japanese devs. They did get some Japanese exclusives during 360 but were missing even bigger titles on top of that. Other than Trails, Ys, and Atelier series I don't know what other major japanese dev they are missing that I care about at least.

I want nothing to do with the Xbox ecosystem after leaving during the Xone reveal. There is no doubt though that support has increased from Japanese devs. They did get some Japanese exclusives during 360 but were missing even bigger titles on top of that. Other than Trails, Ys, and Atelier series I don't know what other major japanese dev they are missing that I care about at least.

And new games in the Trails and Altier series are coming to XBOX too...

There's a thread on ERA that compiles every single Japanese, Asian, and Western JRPG-like game coming to XBOX. Five years ago, it was unthinkable to expect the number of games of this origin and theme coming to XBOX. Including extremely niche games and series that are hard to believe that those Studios would reasonably see to making an XBOX version and yet there they are 😅
 
And new games in the Trails and Altier series are coming to XBOX too...

There's a thread on ERA that compiles every single Japanese, Asian, and Western JRPG-like game coming to XBOX. Five years ago, it was unthinkable to expect the number of games of this origin and theme coming to XBOX. Including extremely niche games and series that are hard to believe that those Studios would reasonably see to making an XBOX version and yet there they are 😅

Altier has been hit or miss so far. They got one of the new games but not the next one which was weird. Maybe it was to late in development not sure. Also I meant the Trails in the sky, Trails of cold steel, etc. They aren't going to Xbox at all. Even the latest Remake did not go which I thought had a real chance since it was a great way to get new customers. Maybe you thought I meant the Tales of series?
 
Altier has been hit or miss so far. They got one of the new games but not the next one which was weird. Maybe it was to late in development not sure. Also I meant the Trails in the sky, Trails of cold steel, etc. They aren't going to Xbox at all. Even the latest Remake did not go which I thought had a real chance since it was a great way to get new customers. Maybe you thought I meant the Tales of series?
Oh, well, I meant that even some games from those series exist on XBOX (not all of them, of course). Like you said, In general aside from those mentioned, it's hard to think of any relevant franchises or series of Japanese games that aren't in the XBOX catalog (including specific, extremely niche franchises and games).
This is a situation that has evolved extremely well during this Xbox generation compared to previous ones. That's why it's shocking that there are people who want to argue against this better situation and with the argument: "X360 had some Japanese exclusives, but XS didn't."
 
It's funny how you're diverting the discussion from discussing the level and degree of support that 3rd party Studios and publishers give to Xbox... to discussing whether Xbox had any more Japanese exclusives during the X360 era.That says it all.

Then, for every Japanese exclusive the X360 had (which were also first-party), it lost 10+ games from major Japanese franchises that weren't released on Xbox and remained PS3/PS4 exclusives.
Now the situation is the opposite: those games are multiplatform and have an XBOX version. It's up to you to decide if the situation is better or not. 😉
Exclusives are what makes a console sell not third parties. And the 360 had way better Japanese support.

Also there are 35 million Game Pass subscribers, which is more than the number of Series consoles sold. So quite a big percentage of Xbox players won't buy the game if released.
 
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