Some people are only happy being unhappy
It is very possible to be "pro consumer" and cutthroat at the same time. "Pro consumer" is just another marketing play to gain customers. If it doesn't work, they will try something else. If it is rewarded with sales, they will stay in that direction. It's always about the money though, you're fooling yourself if you think otherwise.
That is all true, but MS is looking at market and subscriber growth. There is a cost for both of those. That is built into this play as well. It will be interesting to watch though.
I'm an Xbox guy, but anyone who thinks that MS is doing this out of the kindness of their hearts is just being a delusional fanboy. It's all about the money all the time with these corporations. That is literally their job, to make money. There are lots of different ways to achieve...
It is available on Game Pass for PC as well.
I totally agree, though it definitely goes both ways. It's the same with all the people who want to gripe about Game Pass and XCloud (or whatever they are calling it now). Corporations will always watch their competitors and when they come up with good ideas, steal them. Look at Apple and PC/Android, they constantly steal ideas from each other, but still maintain differences in their approaches.
Just common business sense.
It's certainly possible to have a very successful cross gen launch, just look at GTA 5, an extreme example to be sure, but depending on the game it is very possible.
This is interesting
"Helping Developers Deliver Exceptional Experiences
Game developers are at the heart of bringing great games to our players, and we want them to find success on our platforms. That’s why today we’re announcing that we’re updating our Microsoft Store terms for PC game developers. As part of our commitment to empower every PC game creator to achieve more, starting on August 1 the developer share of Microsoft Store PC games sales ne...
Is it possible that Sony and MS are chasing different market segments? The game industry is a large and diverse pie of and "hardcore" gamers only make up a slice of it. I think it is obvious that Sony is going after this segment and MS is going for the more casual/family gamers. Both will make an attempt to serve the others segment, but it is hard to be all things to all people. This has been one of MS's errors in the past and at least they are trying something new.
Here we go!!! Let the bashing begin
100% agree. This is always what I do, wait until the first price drop and then invest in the new console. I may change my approach this time as I wonder if there will be a mid-gen update like last time. If it is just a matter of holding out for a couple of years and then getting the upgraded version, that is what I will do.
@Christopher
"For me, I'd rather regular game pass if I had to get it. I'd be paying extra for PC and online gaming, neither of which I need."
You forgot the addition of EA Play. That's the main reason I choose Ultimate (well that and the fact I pay with my sub with MS Reward points and they don't offer regular GP as an option) I also don't care about PC or online either. That said it's just another option.
If anything, they are getting extra because this is a new revenue stream that was not available to them before with these games. Pretty sure most people who want to buy these games have already done it a long time ago. However this is a way to get additional dollars with the opportunity to try the game and possibly purchase it if they really like it. I seriously think that any impact on sales will be positive as the games will now be reaching a new audience.
"(I recently bought a code for 12 months of Live for $60, but the code mysteriously instead unlocks only a few months of Game Pass. Weird...)"
That is actually a common "cheat" to build up cheap GP sub months. I think they will give you 8 months of GP Ultimate for 12 months of Live. That is one way people are getting cheap subs. MS doesn't care, so if you like the service, take advantage of this, you can get up t0 36 month built up.
I'm pretty sure that is why this is marked as an "opinion" piece. Just sayin'
I just prefer console gaming. I have never liked gaming on PC, people act like it is an identical experience and that is simply not the case. I enjoy the simplicity of consoles. I don't have to worry about viruses, dealing with PC related issues, etc. Just basic ease of use. I want play a game, I turn it on and play. A lot of people feel the same way, especially older gamers and those with families. Just sayin, the average age of a gamer is in his early 30's so these things mat...
@Kornholic
While I also think your numbers are flawed for all of the reasons listed below, there is the fact that society lives it's life on credit now. When you start and figure out the number of "subscriptions" most people have these days, it can add up to real money. However, from a marketing standpoint, people are conditioned to look at the payments, not the principle. I guarantee, if the only option was $120/yr, it would be a total flop. I bet few wou...
"Seems pretty obvious that the vast majority of gamers who have access to Game Pass would rather buy their games than rent them."
I was with you until the last sentence. The facts you stated proves no such thing. Numbers are steadily increasing and access is growing. I have heard MS will release some sort of "streaming stick" for GamePass in the fairly near future. They are also looking at getting it installed on smart TV's as well. These things...
I'm an Xbox guy, but you hit the nail on the head!!
7 out of 10 seems high given what he has to say about the game, but it is a well written and thought out review
Most people who make that argument are basing their argument on the overall corporation size and profitability. I don't think anyone who has any knowledge would argue that Sony or Nintendo makes for money in their games divisions. They constantly sell more games and systems than MS, so that just makes sense.
The difference is that the the gaming division is a small percentage of the overall revenue/profit for MS. MS is more diversified and if they wanted to run at a ...