Xbox Game Pass Scares Me

Game Pass is the Best Deal in Gaming

When Game Pass first launched in 2017 I thought for sure it was too good to be true. I mean how could you play a massive library of up to date games for just over $10 per month. And yet shortly after subscribing it became apparent that Xbox was indeed offering just that. Not only was I now able to play so many games from my childhood, without actually having to own them, but once 2018 hit I could play first party titles on the day of their release! Truly this marked a new era in gaming where a subscription model was proven to be possible and the barrier to entry was lowered dramatically. Why would someone pay $70+ for a new title when a sub to Game Pass would allow them to do the same. However, I believe Game Pass threatens to set a dangerous precedent and we as gamers may be worse off as a result.

What Scares Me

I have two main worries when it comes to Xbox Game Pass. And mind you these come from an active Game Pass subscriber and a lifelong Xbox and Microsoft user and fan. Number 1, as shown by the quote below I do worry about the long term sustainability of the service. As Xbox brings more and more large titles to its portfolio will we see an increase in the cost of the service and will these games contain even more monetization avenues in a world where most games are over monetized already?

I personally do believe that it is sustainable long term, especially if Xbox continues to put out really good games. However, I do think we will see price increases over time like we saw last year. This may cause people to begin unsubscribing but I personally think the value will continue to grow and Game Pass will become the primary avenue by which most people access video games. It truly will become “The Netflix of Gaming” and dominate most of the market share for players wanting to play games.

This leads me to my second, and main, worry. I think Game Pass is actively devaluing video games. This idea came to me when I began recommending games to some of my friends. When I did this their first reaction was to ask “Well, is it on Game Pass”. When I told them it wasn't, they began to say how they didn’t feel it was worth it and why would they play these new games when they had this whole massive catalogue available to them. This really opened my eyes to how the broader public, not big gaming fans, are starting to view games. In a world where many games are becoming free to play and many others are going to Game Pass, I think we see a future where people won’t pay a premium price for games and we get worse games as a result. To end this block simply think about this: why would a company invest millions of dollars in an ambitious game when most players aren’t even willing to pay $70 for games right now?

“I am less confident this is sustainable over the long term, and I think we just need to look at the wider subscription streaming industry to see that.”

— Paul Tassi, Senior Contributor Forbes

My Hope for the Future

I know the last block ended pretty bleak but I want to try my best with all of these articles to keep it as positive as possible while still writing about what I feel is valuable. I think the future of gaming is unbelievably bright. Just this year we are going to be getting huge games like Doom: The Dark Ages, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and most likely countless phenomenal indie titles. We as gamers will be eating good, so to speak, and we should be celebrating the fantastic products we have the pleasure to play. I think Xbox is well aware of the pitfalls I mentioned above and will be working hard to provide the best possible service for all of us. In short, keep playing and enjoying games, and make sure you voice and support the studios and games you love.