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Microsoft is exploring the possibility of offering access to Xbox Game Pass streaming in exchange for viewing advertisements in some markets.

Portugeezer

Member
I don't know how much these things cost, but surely a 30 second ad worth a penny would not offset the cost of a game streaming server for 2 hours. Let alone bring in any meaningful profit for MS...?
 
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Shodai

Member
I still don’t understand advertising for people who can’t afford it. What do advertisers think, someone can’t afford 10 bucks a month but will buy their garbage or service??
 

Topher

Identifies as young
I agree its win win as long as they keep the paid version ad free

I can't see ads in games or even game services being "win win" at all. Used to be TV/movie services were ad-free, but they found a way to introduce another tier, upping the price, for ad free. I do not want this shit in gaming. It will expand and it will be in the games themselves, just like they are in movies and TV shows.
 
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S0ULZB0URNE

Member
They are desperately trying to increase the numbers.
Would not let me log into my XB account on my new laptop without trying to force me to accept a free GP subscription.

Anyway...
Adds for the service>>>Paying for the service and the cloud is ok for some.
 
ROFL just reeks of desperation to pad engagement numbers

GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
 
This was always their intention. Keighley game award the industry. Netflix of gaming was always the goal and that includes leaning heavily into advertising.

This model will be in Western markets within a year after a “successful trial” in third world markets.

Add another onto the long list of doomsday predictions from the crystal ball crew. Maybe this one will finally hit.
 
I can't see ads in games or even game services being "win win" at all. Used to be TV/movie services were ad-free, but they found a way to introduce another tier, upping the price, for ad free. I do not want this shit in gaming. It will expand and it will be in the games themselves, just like they are in movies and TV shows.
All possible but a 30 second ad for 2 free hours of game pass streaming?

For people not wanting or even able to buy game pass monthly I think it’s a great option for them.

Heck I am up way more than 30 seconds every two hours to begin with
 

Crayon

Member
This reminds me of how they pitched micro transactions.

Full disclosure I thought it was a neat idea.
 
Good for people that wouldnt be able to play the games otherwise. Some kid in Mexico will watch a Jarritos soda or Mexican Coke commercial and get to play Blade and CoD on Game Pass someday.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
These guys are really in a race to the bottom. The whole "testing X in some markets" is typically the way that bad ideas get introduced globally, so I don't have a lot of confidence this won't bleed over at some point.
 
These guys are really in a race to the bottom. The whole "testing X in some markets" is typically the way that bad ideas get introduced globally, so I don't have a lot of confidence this won't bleed over at some point.

Or it's just something for another market that they know won't be needed or feasible in other markets.

Burger King sells shrimp whoppers in Japan. They don't it worldwide.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Some people are salivating at the idea of not paying anything to play videogames. uh?

But you already can play a shit ton of games for free.

But but but I want to play Grand Theft Auto VI for free, just let me see an ad!!!!!!

oh, so this is what's all about, right?. having access to premium games for free?. you always can wait for a discount.

But, but, but, but the FOMO my maaaaannn, the FOMO!!!!!!!!

sorry, but MS is not the messiah of gaming. This industry/market already is able to offer a wide range of business model (including ad supported) for consumers who have different value perceptions.

their "strategy" has failure all over the face.
 

Fabieter

Member
Give me a streaming only option for 5 bucks a month and iam in too. Its ridiculous to pay for gamepass ultimate when you dont want to use the native option.
 

Drell

Member
Or it's just something for another market that they know won't be needed or feasible in other markets.

Burger King sells shrimp whoppers in Japan. They don't it worldwide.
Great let's wash poor people's brain so they can play video games for free.
 

Three

Member
Or it's just something for another market that they know won't be needed or feasible in other markets.
You sure like bargaining about ads. When somebody warned you in the other thread about the fullscreen xbox ad being a sign of things to come you said it's only 2-3 times a year and not every time. Now there are reports of ads getting to where people predicted and your excuse is that it's in "other markets". Until it hits whatever market you're concerned about, then I'm sure you'll conjure up a new excuse why it's not a big deal still.

Burger King sells shrimp whoppers in Japan. They don't it worldwide.
Because it's a small fishing nation that likes seafood. Other parts of the world would love a shrimp burger on menu too but demand and logistics doesn't work out. Do you think ads are about people wanting ads though? Do you think it's more difficult to supply/deliver ads in other countries? So why wouldn't they want more money if people like you are so happy to receive ads?

You're a few years too late, youth is already happy with watching ads on Twitch, YouTube, etc...
I was watching YouTube on a tablet the other day and for the first time ever an ad that I couldn't skip showed up (some fitness ad telling me I didn't need to do cardio or cut carbs to lose weight). Had to watch a full 2 minute ad before it went to the video. I wouldn't call myself youthful but I certainly wasn't happy about it. It almost made me close the video.
 

Three

Member
I don't know how much these things cost, but surely a 30 second ad worth a penny would not offset the cost of a game streaming server for 2 hours. Let alone bring in any meaningful profit for MS...?
Only if it encourages further spending, like a free drug sample. I think this was just an example they gave though and not one that's actually feasible.

It's more likely to be a monthly cost with ads and the ad-free price would just increase. Just look at other subs as an example:

Standard Netflix cost £5.99 a month ad free less than 6yrs ago. Now it costs £4.99 with ads or £10.99 without.
 
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I think it's a pretty decent exchange, especially for those with low economic resources. The other part of the problem is who in those countries has access to a decent internet connection...
MS don’t care about the other part, they just want that commercial in and make some money. They don’t care about the streaming experience after that since it only costs them money
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
I don't know how much these things cost, but surely a 30 second ad worth a penny would not offset the cost of a game streaming server for 2 hours. Let alone bring in any meaningful profit for MS...?
Of course it won't. We know that, but I don't think many people get this. You'll need to watch 5 minutes worth of ads to stream something for a couple of hours.
 

Mr Reasonable

Completely Unreasonable
Spotify has a paid and ad supported tier. And YouTube. And I'm sure other things.

So, eh.

The only example I'd be worried about is Prime Video, which I believe is going to include ads, even though the service is part of a paid for service.
 
it should, because believe it or not, these companies want you on the ad service, so what do they do, they start jacking up the price of the non-ad version to an untenable level. Here is an article on it: https://www.fastcompany.com/90956587/why-every-streaming-service-wants-you-to-watch-ads-now

if you dont think MS is operating by the same playbook you are naive.
I wouldn't say I am being naive, a better word is indifferent

This just doesn't bother me though I get if people have objections, its totally your prerogative
 
I can't with you people sometimes. I would have gone out of my mind if this existed when I was a kid, and was lucky if I got 2 games a year.
 
I have no clue why so many people here are so much against options.
If the people have not enough money to afford the proper hw, be it a console or a beefy enough PC, but have already at least some supported display and also an internet connection, which disqualifies probably still quite many, this can offer fun stuff for free. If the servers are not too far away and the experience is decent.
I use spotify for free since years. So far the ads are not really annoying, and mostly I can listen to what I want beside inserted suggestions I don't ask for. I think there is one rather short ad block every half hour or something, unlike youtube which craps on the content sometimes every 5-10 minutes.
The costs for game streaming are higher than for music and video though, so MS probably would need to add a ton of ads to make that somewhat viable beyond just fixing young poorer, but probably already not actually poor, kids in hope that they become big spenders later on.
But generally I would not be opposed to something like that myself. I barely have time for evrything I want to try but trying eg Starfield for free. ust now and then some single title. I would do it. Some games are not much worse via streaming and require no super fast lag free connection. So instead of buying a sub I would barely use, or hw I don't really want, just jumping into MS's world in between, would be fine.
 
If you are not willing to pay money to have fun, then maybe the experience isn't as fun as you think it is.

There are a million ways to play games that are free on phones or otherwise. Play those. If you need to watch 5 minutes of ads it is 5 minutes you are not getting back.
 
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Dr.Morris79

Member
I guess Elon telling advertisers to fuck off was a good thing eh

And know this. MS doesn't even need them either

bhcS8sx.jpg


Enjoy your ads. They need ALL the money, obviously.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Add another onto the long list of doomsday predictions from the crystal ball crew. Maybe this one will finally hit.

What are you talking about, I'm enjoying this post-TGA world where they announced they're going third party. 🥳


I wouldn't go this route but for some who might not want to spend the monthly fee I think this is a good option

I agree its win win as long as they keep the paid version ad free

Hes Right GIF by MOODMAN
 
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Hip Hop

Member
I havent been able to use Xcloud because im not waiting 15 minutes in a queue. It defeats the whole point if I have to wait.
 
Some people are salivating at the idea of not paying anything to play videogames. uh?

But you already can play a shit ton of games for free.

But but but I want to play Grand Theft Auto VI for free, just let me see an ad!!!!!!

oh, so this is what's all about, right?. having access to premium games for free?. you always can wait for a discount.

But, but, but, but the FOMO my maaaaannn, the FOMO!!!!!!!!

sorry, but MS is not the messiah of gaming. This industry/market already is able to offer a wide range of business model (including ad supported) for consumers who have different value perceptions.

their "strategy" has failure all over the face.
Interesting point. The end goal is to subscribe to gaming WITH AD with the feeling of content "being free". Nah.
 
Interesting point. The end goal is to subscribe to gaming WITH AD with the feeling of content "being free". Nah.
you can find several examples of people wanting the ABK deal to be over before Diablo IV release date in hope to play it without paying for it, when there are already Diablo-esque games for free. Why?.

Is not about subscribing or having ads per se. is about playing the biggest, most acclaimed and popular games without paying for them. that's the implicit fantasy Xbox is selling.

"can you imagine play CoD without paying for it?". you already can play CoD for free on PC and mobile

"no, no, no, no i mean the REAL CoD".

but if these AAA or your inde GOTY are not worth to be paid for, what is?
 
You sure like bargaining about ads.

You mean I sure like not getting emotional and angry about trivial shit.

When somebody warned you in the other thread about the fullscreen xbox ad being a sign of things to come you said it's only 2-3 times a year and not every time. Now there are reports of ads getting to where people predicted and your excuse is that it's in "other markets".

Fucking L O L that THIS is "where people predicted". No it isn't. People predicted you'd boot up your console and have to wait through ad after ad just to use it. This here in this thread is the possibility of watching an ad to get free access to some content. In other words, the same shit that already exists in every other medium and even in games. Not even remotely close to the place people were predicting it would soon go in that other thread.


Until it hits whatever market you're concerned about, then I'm sure you'll conjure up a new excuse why it's not a big deal still.

I care about the US market. And let's be honest, even if they brought some optional method to use xCloud where it was ad supported, why should I care? Why should it be a big deal? It must be exhausting going through life being constantly up in arms about nonsense. I assume you've never watched YouTube? Never watched television? Never listened to the radio? Never used Spotify? Never played a FTP game?


Because it's a small fishing nation that likes seafood. Other parts of the world would love a shrimp burger on menu too but demand and logistics doesn't work out. Do you think ads are about people wanting ads though? Do you think it's more difficult to supply/deliver ads in other countries? So why wouldn't they want more money if people like you are so happy to receive ads?

So you're saying a company can offer something to consumers in one part of the world but not another because it's not feasible or needed there.. hmm, that's interesting. No it's not more difficult for a company to deliver ads in other countries, but it is harder to get people in poorer countries to invest lots of money into hardware and games, genius. Hence stuff like this. Also why Hulu offers ad supported tiers for less money. Also why Sony and MS offer digital consoles for less money. I could go on and on here with examples of companies offering cheaper ways to get people "in the door" but I'll leave you guys to your doomsday nonsense. MS bad, rabble rabble, Spencer liar, one of us one of us, etc etc :LOL:
 

zenspider

Member
I was watching YouTube on a tablet the other day and for the first time ever an ad that I couldn't skip showed up (some fitness ad telling me I didn't need to do cardio or cut carbs to lose weight). Had to watch a full 2 minute ad before it went to the video. I wouldn't call myself youthful but I certainly wasn't happy about it. It almost made me close the video.
YT Premium brother. Some of the best money I spend.
 

NickFire

Member
Sounds great in a vacuum. But the end result will almost certainly be the base plan (when this goes widespread) becomes the ad-supported plan, and anyone wanting to skip ads get a price hike. All of us have seen how this plays out in the TV streaming arena, which is the model GP is copying.
 
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