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[RickMasters]

Oh shut up! only people paying for any of this is people who actually bought an xbox and invested in their platform for years. you know...the ones who are pondering a future without their platform of choice...... fuck off, PC gamer you pretentious twats.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Gamepass isn't the reason why devs at the Initiative and Rare couldn't deliver a realized product at agreed milestones.

You are halfway there.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I doubt MS will give up on game pass (sunk cost fallacy). But they're clearly not interested in being a large provider of it's content and would rather third parties handle that. My guess is the purging continues and game pass sub growth remains anemic.

These two contradict each other. In order for MS not to not give up on GP, they will need to be the largest provider of its content. Third Parties will only put their AAA games day one in that service if MS is willing to pay...and at 80$, they will need to pay even more.

So, this is why killing studios is completely opposite to the Game Pass idea. In fact, killing studios means Microsoft is giving up on Game Pass. People don't realize it, but Game Pass is already dead

 

[Durin]

Game Pass is undeniably a convenient, economical way for players to access a large catalogue of games, and the service saw rapid adoption. Intuitively, though, it's another force (like Steam sales) driving down the perceived value of games, and Game Pass uniquely harms their retail success⁠—would you rather buy Avowed for $70, or get it through PC Game Pass for $12/month?

I too question the sustainability of Game Pass, but whining that it's another force driving down the value of games...while at the same time companies are trying to balloon new prices to $80, with BS digital collector's editions passing $100 with trivial extras, predatory micro-transactions, and live-services that get sunset throwing all your spending in the garbage...the industry is also over-valuing their own products and pricing consumers out (or making them wait for discounts).

Steam if anything has gotten people to buy more games that they'll never even play, just collect...giving developers free money.

 

[GriffinCorp]

The boat your are on is the industry. Gamepass is sinking it. MS' plan is clear. They want to sink everything, ride it out and take what's left. Let it go. Companies are not your friends and you usually should not be helping them accomplish their evil goals just because they gave you a coupon.

Right on the money!

 

[Crayon]

Oh shut up! only people paying for any of this is people who actually bought an xbox and invested in their platform for years. you know...the ones who are pondering a future without their platform of choice...... fuck off, PC gamer you pretentious twats.

Mmm you're kinda right. Everyone else got off easier. Still, there was more at stake than just Xbox dying and it could have been a seriously dark turn for everyone if ms got their way.

 

[Starbuck2907]

A longer article that you can see here: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-indu...-future-of-gaming-and-were-all-paying-for-it/

Overall though, yes, as much of a good deal Game Pass may have been for customers (and possibly because of that) it is clear that to make the math work required a degree of such enormous ongoing investment that it was unpalatable for a company like Microsoft to keep it going.

Phil Spencer bet the farm on Game Pass. He lost.

These layoffs were probably planned since the Activision buyout, but they couldn't do them too soon because of the ftc lawsuit. Probably a lot of redundant jobs with that buyout.

A few people keep complaining about Gamepass but if you have it, it's been pretty awesome, especially lately.