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Xbox Game Pass ‘has become too expensive,’ says Microsoft’s new gaming chief in leaked memo

Microsoft’s new Xbox chief, Asha Sharma, has signaled that Xbox Game Pass pricing is about to change. In an internal memo to Xbox employees, obtained by The Verge, Sharma admits that “Game Pass has become too expensive for players” and that Microsoft needs “a better value equation.”

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theverge.com
GotGame81832d ago (Edited 32d ago )

Microsoft has been talking about adding commercials to get the cost down. Not in game, but before you start a session. I would just open my game then get all the stuff I need to done, before sitting down to play.

If they cut the price down enough to justify it, I'd do it. Most Sub services are giving the option now. If it's worth it!

blacktiger31d ago

no moron! commercial will be in every loading and in game for further opportunity.

shadowfax3331d ago

user calling other user moron and gets upvoted....wow how toxic N4G has become.

jwillj2k431d ago (Edited 31d ago )

Multiple tiers. You decide at what level you want the ads. Obtrusive gives you access to more games. This will allow ads to play during crucial moments of gameplay, almost guaranteeing you fail/die. However you gain access to more games. Unobtrusive only shows ads before/after you play, however you get a fraction of the games. /s

peppeaccardo31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

FUK ads ... dont u have enough? MS should just make games and sell them, for indie or AA games get them on GP so to give visibility to small studios. They got into a business model which is not sustainable as it is killing their first party studios. Their fault .. .

Jingsing31d ago

You do realize that has been one of the big reasons for the mass exodus of people leaving subscription services. Getting ad's while paying for a service and having the price continually jack up and ad time.

thorstein31d ago

Why would they cut the cost to you?

GotGame81831d ago (Edited 31d ago )

What you said is not what I saw. What I read said at THE START of a session! Why be a jerk? It isn't like, I was intentionally lying, like so many do! Also, commercials will be an OPTION! Just like Netflix, Hulu, Prime, etc, offer them. GP is also aiming for free Cloud gaming with an AD supported tier.

I mean, do you even use GP? If you do and don't want commercials, you can pay not to have them. I in my OG comment said I might go the commercial tier IF it's worth it. No I wouldn't have all my loading screens be an ad like you said.
Have a great day.

BlaqMagiq130d ago

I will never understand why people want forced ads in their faces in their games or their console. It's never worth it not even with a lower price tier.

CornholioX30d ago

Ads are the virus that needs to be removed!!

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 30d ago
32d ago Replies(4)
Exthun31d ago

Microsoft owns a massive collection of iconic IPs, yet somehow they keep proving they have absolutely no idea how to run the video game business.

Reaper22_31d ago

Its not their job to run the game business. Everyone has a business model. You do what works for you. You react to changes in the market. Thats really all you can do.

Smellsforfree31d ago

No, actually reacting to the market is how Sony threw $400 million (reportedly) at Concord.

__y2jb31d ago

“Its not their job to run the game business” - a new low in the blind defense of Xbox.

Alek8330d ago

Interesting, isn't it?

Halo, Forza, Gears of War, Fable, Minecraft, and now Bethesda games... These should allow them to print money!

hiawa2330d ago

Especially selling them to the huge Playstation base. I say add Nintendo to the release schedule if it is truly about selling software. Get the games to the most gamers.

hiawa2331d ago (Edited 31d ago )

But, Microsoft heads set the price in the first place. Don't scapegoat Phil and Sarah on that as I don't think made those calls, and a $650 Series X and $400 Series S is a nonstarter for most.

Extermin8or3_31d ago

The cost of the consoles is outside of their control, they aren't going to sell at a loss when they aren't making money off games sales cos xbox players hardly buy any games thanks to games pass, which costs far too much to run and make the first party titles for. The console prices are determined by various global factors effecting hardware atm.

Eonjay30d ago

This is actually correct and what made things harder for Phil and Sarah was Amy hood demanding a 20% return on top of that

hiawa2330d ago (Edited 30d ago )

I get all of the outside forces here on console pricing. They aren't selling at all which was also one of the reasons they went multi-plat, so there seems to be no answer here for them as are you saying a 5 year old Xbox costs you more to make in 2026 than in 2020? If that is the case there is nothing further to say. I have two Series Xs so I hope they last.

Extermin8or3_30d ago

@hiawa23 yes that is exactly what I'm saying same for ps5. Remember these devices would have been finalised 208/2019. They were designed during a period of particularly low hardware and rare earth materials etc. They aren't designed to be efficient and are large and have large heat footprints. Both new consoles will benefit from new manufacturing process reducing amounts of silicon although the leaks about next gen xbox strongly suggest it has a much larger chip set than ps6, in line with average pc chips etc size and cooling. All of this now costs alot more than it has previously. Meanwhile leaked documentation about ps6 explicitly states that Sony following recent global shocks like covid and Ukraine war wanted to future proof ps6 from cost perspective. This means lower emergy usage, smaller chips etc and likely form factor and thus weight. This will also lead to cheaper shipping costs. I fully expect base ps6 to come in at cheaper then ps5 pro. Which is likely to be discontinued.

Eonjay31d ago

Well it seems like the rumor of COD leaving GP is real.

Jingsing31d ago

They'll probably just end up killing off the surviving Xbox users who are left and that are into that model. They won't regain the vast majority they lost either.

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70°

Microsoft Gaming Revenue Drops 7% Year-on-Year, Content and Services Down 5%, Xbox Hardware Down 33%

Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.

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simulationdaily.com
Jin_Sakai16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.

dveio16d ago

To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.

Jingsing16d ago

The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.

Tanktopmaster9216d ago

Once they re-evaluate exclusive all will be fine….

S2Killinit16d ago

Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.

Jingsing16d ago

15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.

Tanktopmaster9216d ago

These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse

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40°

Games Done Quick is coming to Europe for the first time with 3 days of Gamescom speedruns

The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.

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videogameschronicle.com
60°

Take-Two CEO Once Again Side Steps Grand Theft Auto 6 Price Point

Strauss Zelnick says price of GTA 6 is being carefully considered and that Rockstar is focused on "making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth."

Kuma16d ago

If GTA 6 abandons everything that made GTA 5 great, it will crash and burn right out of the gate. GTA 5 was funny and not at all PC. My worry is that they will cave to the PC crowd and ruin the vibes.

Eonjay16d ago

They got freaking BBLs twerking on the top of trucks for the gram, the freaking Flordia joker, and dude running down the stree in their undies and you are worried about it being 'too PC'? The internet has runied gamers. It doesn't matter how non-PC they make the game, you will all listen to the grifters telling you not to believe your lying eyes lol.

gigoran816d ago

"Rockstar Games’ co-founder and former VP of Development Jamie King said he envisions GTA 6 as a game that’s “maybe not quite as edgy or quite as funny” as its satirical predecessors."

oh yeah, totally internet grifters spreading rumors...

blacktiger16d ago

That's part of the plan, they destroyed you but they need to destroy the shareholders? Only 1 shre holder is the true elite that don't care

1nsomniac16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

Meh.., if it’s above £55 I ain’t buying it.

Rockstar are genuinely not half the company they used to be. I was a die hard GTA fan I’ve purchased every game and expansion and spin off day 1.

My opinion of GTA6 is that I can take it or leave it. Not bothered. They burnt too many bridges.

DaReapa16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

So they're actually leaving the door open for an L.A. Noire sequel? Nice!

VaNdAl16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

He should just come out and say it already it's getting stupid it's going to be a 100 bucks $200 for the special edition🤡🤡; 29315;🤣♿

Storm2316d ago

I won't be getting this game until I can get it for $70. SHoot, I could wait for it to be even lower. I don't need the game that badly as my backlog is still huge and I am enjoying playing other things.

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