Xbox Game Pass (Console & PC)

[Sheikah]

Have to say, with next-gen prices now rising to £70/$80; Gamepass' value has just risen even more!
Glad I got in while the deal was still going on! [emoji3] 

The price of Game Pass has also effectively gone up considerably though, now that the promotion seems to be coming to an end (what with them discontinuing 12-month XBL cards).

[Ronnie]

2 hours ago, Dcubed said:

Have to say, with next-gen prices now rising to £70/$80; Gamepass' value has just risen even more!

Glad I got in while the deal was still going on!  

That's why Game Pass was trending on Twitter last night after the PS5 show, people looking at the £70 prices of PS4 games and how that (doesn't) stack up to the amazing value of Game Pass. 

[Sheikah]

That's why Game Pass was trending on Twitter last night after the PS5 show, people looking at the £70 prices of PS4 games and how that (doesn't) stack up to the amazing value of Game Pass. 

Xbox has value, but PS5 has games. That's not a terrible thing to be known for.

It's like your Netflix versus your Prime Video.

[Ronnie]

I personally saw 2 games I wanted to play last night, the Spider-Man expansion and Hogwarts. Game Pass has tons of games, not just AAA but indie that I want to play.

Game Pass is fantastic, there really shouldn't be much of an argument over that.

[Sheikah]

I personally saw 2 games I wanted to play last night, the Spider-Man expansion and Hogwarts. Game Pass has tons of games, not just AAA but indie that I want to play.Game Pass is fantastic, there really shouldn't be much of an argument over that.

Nope, but there's no reason to upgrade to a new console either. That Game Pass content can all be played right now on Xbox One.

 

For a system launch Sony have done a really good job here - whether you personally like every game they showed is another matter. I think as well, their Plus collection games makes a very good argument for any Xbox gamers who skipped the PS4. Join the party and play many of those great PS4 exclusives you missed out on at no extra cost.

[Ronnie]

1 minute ago, Sheikah said:

Nope, but there's no reason to upgrade to a new console either. That Game Pass content can all be played right now on Xbox One.

Another positive!

[Dcubed]

6 minutes ago, Sheikah said:

Nope, but there's no reason to upgrade to a new console either. That Game Pass content can all be played right now on Xbox One.

 

For a system launch Sony have done a really good job here - whether you personally like every game they showed is another matter. I think as well, their Plus collection games makes a very good argument for any Xbox gamers who skipped the PS4. Join the party and play many of those great PS4 exclusives you missed out on at no extra cost.

Good point.  Didn't think of it that way; but you're right.  That's probably what they're aiming for with that deal (and it IS a good deal).

[Sheikah]

Another positive!

However you framed Game Pass against the PS5 launch lineup so that is what we are comparing.

As a service, Game Pass is incredible value. However Microsoft don't have really any next gen exclusives to show for their console at launch. Why should we get their new console? If you have an Xbox One or PC already then Game Pass is not a convincing reason since that is already available.

[Ronnie]

11 minutes ago, Sheikah said:

However you framed Game Pass against the PS5 launch lineup so that is what we are comparing.

As a service, Game Pass is incredible value. However Microsoft don't have really any next gen exclusives to show for their console at launch. Why should we get their new console? If you have an Xbox One or PC already then Game Pass is not a convincing reason since that is already available.

I framed it against PS5 game prices full stop. Nothing to do with consoles or launche line-ups.

Oh and Xbox aren't prioritising selling you a console, they're selling a service.

[Sheikah]

I framed it against PS5 game prices full stop. Nothing to do with consoles or launche line-ups.

Oh and Xbox aren't prioritising selling you a console, they're selling a service.

You literally just said the PS5 has 2 games that interest you, then spoke about how Game Pass has a lot of games. They are not really comparable in terms of encouraging early next gen console adoption - some of the launch games on PS5 need a PS5 to play them whereas nothing on Game Pass needs a Series S/X.

 

Xbox are of course prioritising console sales, hence why they are selling at a big loss with £250 machines. They know that most people have a PS4 rather than an X1 so to even get you onto Game Pass they first have to sell you the new console.

[Cube]

My Game Pass expired today. Tell Me Why and Super Lucky's Tale were the best games I've played though it, not really a lot worth the monthly cost (and that was the old PC price too).

[Goafer]

Having just got an XBOne, it got me thinking about Game Pass again.

Back in the Dreamcast and OG Xbox days, I was able to "acquire" games very "cheaply" and it taught me something about my gaming habits; The more I spend on a game, the more I enjoy it. For example, how many of you have spent a couple of pounds on a game in the Steam sale, only for it to sit in your library, completely unplayed? How many of you have done the same for a game you've bought at full or slightly reduced price?

When faced with a large library of cheap games, I'm very unlikely to play any of them at length. Partly because I've not paid much for the games, so just letting them sit there isn't a problem, but also because I know I have plenty of other games to move on to. Hit a bit of a temporary slump in a game? Just move on to the next and not look back.

Game Pass to me makes games almost "throw away", which isn't how I like to enjoy my games. I'd much rather invest a lot of time in a single, well made game than flit between games on a whim, which is what I think I'd do with Game Pass.

Edited September 21, 2020 by Goafer

[Dcubed]

So... Gamepass is looking pretty good right about now huh?

[S.C.G]

3 hours ago, Goafer said:

Having just got an XBOne, it got me thinking about Game Pass again.

Back in the Dreamcast and OG Xbox days, I was able to "acquire" games very "cheaply" and it taught me something about my gaming habits; The more I spend on a game, the more I enjoy it. For example, how many of you have spent a couple of pounds on a game in the Steam sale, only for it to sit in your library, completely unplayed? How many of you have done the same for a game you've bought at full or slightly reduced price?

When faced with a large library of cheap games, I'm very unlikely to play any of them at length. Partly because I've not paid much for the games, so just letting them sit there isn't a problem, but also because I know I have plenty of other games to move on to. Hit a bit of a temporary slump in a game? Just move on to the next and not look back.

Game Pass to me makes games almost "throw away", which isn't how I like to enjoy my games. I'd much rather invest a lot of time in a single, well made game than flit between games on a whim, which is what I think I'd do with Game Pass.

This resonates with me so much, in recent times, whenever I have bought another 'bargain' to add to my Steam library, I usually have no desire to play any of the games, except for on very rare occasions, the same can also be said for some games I buy on the Switch when they are in the sale, but to a lesser extent, as it's usually Sega Ages games which I like to have there for when I choose to play them.

The same is also true of a lot of games which have been obtained through either Games with Gold, or from Playstation Plus, which of course gives the odd new title for free which I might check out, but I wouldn't have otherwise paid money for those games, so that's almost the other end of the scale, but almost alligning with the Game Pass model, but on a very small scale, being that it's only the odd couple of titles a month which get 'given away' and they've usually already been out for a while.

Game Pass is definitely turning games into a more disposable form of entertainment, not only that, but I believe that it is having a huge effect on physical game sales, to the point that very soon, I don't think there will be quite as many physical games manufactured, we're even seeing dedicated digital versions of both the PS5 and the Xbox Series S now as well, which demonstrates that there is clearly a market for it.

Because I (also) like to invest a lot of time in a single, well made game as well, rather than chopping and changing between lots of titles, I won't support Game Pass, no matter how good a prospect it is, generally I don't even have any other subscriptions either, aside from Xbox Live, PS Plus and Nintendo Switch Online, but those are a yearly subscription and still seem to be just about worth it, for the ability to play online.

I can still see Xbox Game Pass doing very well indeed, also... anyone going for that subscription model, for the console and the subscriptions, will probably be paying... £30 or so a month for so many months? So long as they are playing at least one new game every week, then the cost is probably justified for them, I can see from that perspective, that it's an enticing prospect.

At this point, nothing would make me want to sign up for it, not even if they suddenly made every Xbox original game available for it, and to me, that would be a very good selling point, but a niche one for a lot of people. Though this makes me realise, it might be about time to dig out my original Xbox console again to play some classic physical games that I own for it.

Edited September 21, 2020 by S.C.G

[Dcubed]

I get what you mean @S.C.G.  I’d much rather own my games than subscribe to them in general.

There are lots of games that I would happily rather rent than own though; as they’re just not important enough to me to pay £69.99 a pop for.  Like Deathloop for example, I’d love to try it out, but £69.99 is a VERY tough sell for that game.  Likewise, many games these days are really One & Done kinda of deals, where they have very little replay value (like Gears of War); so I’m happy to rent those games instead of buying them.

There aren’t a lot of developers that I would buy from at full price sight unseen anymore; not everyone is Nintendo or Platinum Games at the end of the day.

I do think there’s a place for both models; and I’ll definitely be buying games that I really want (including ones that I end up enjoying on Game Pass that I want to keep).  But the times are changing and chances are that this will become the norm, as the physical market disappears.

The value on offer here really is just silly; and I’d be silly to not jump in while the getting is good.  It’s a shame that the physical market is disappearing, but it feels inevitable at this point.  Just gotta take the good with the bad I suppose.

As long as the likes of Nintendo and Platinum keep putting out full sized and full priced games, I’ll keep buying them though.

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by Dcubed

[Cube]

Surely the value gets better the longer you leave it?

[RedShell]

16 hours ago, Goafer said:

For example, how many of you have spent a couple of pounds on a game in the Steam sale, only for it to sit in your library, completely unplayed?

I get how this is a thing and probably quite common too, but to be honest it’s never happened to me. There have undoubtedly been a few super bargains over the years that I haven’t played very much or completed for sure, but I’ve definitely played every single game that I’ve ever purchased, regardless of the price.

13 hours ago, S.C.G said:

At this point, nothing would make me want to sign up for it

What if Microsoft were to buy Nintendo?  

1 hour ago, Dcubed said:

But the times are changing and chances are that this will become the norm, as the physical market disappears.

Yep. Despite not particularly liking the direction either, I accepted this inevitable reality a while back already. The amount of physical games I purchase these days is lower than ever, but at the same time I’ve come to realise that I just don’t replay games anymore.  

In that sense the digital subscription model is perfect for me, while admittedly I find the amount of choice overwhelming at times I don’t really have trouble focusing on one or two games at a time before moving on to something else, and even though I’ve only been subscribed to Game Pass for a couple of months I’ve already played several games through to completion, and that’s alongside regular sessions on Sea of Thieves! 

[Ronnie]

What are they up to now!!

[Aneres11]

12 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

What are they up to now!!

The Slayer Is Coming is hidden underneath her name. And the beginning letter of each sentence spells "Look Below". 

[Map]

Doom Eternal then, still chuckling at Melissa McGamepass.

[RedShell]

Kind of annoying how Doom Eternal is set to arrive on Game Pass for console October 1st, but not on PC until later in the year.

I understand the discrepancy between the console and PC versions of Game Pass for titles that might not actually be available for a certain platform, but quite why Doom Eternal can’t also be added to PC at the same time is a bit of a mystery in this case. 

Also, anyone know what happened to Katana Zero? It was featured in that video I posted a couple of weeks back as “available now” but as far as I can tell it was never available and it still isn’t. 

[Dcubed]

55 minutes ago, RedShell said:

Kind of annoying how Doom Eternal is set to arrive on Game Pass for console October 1st, but not on PC until later in the year.

I understand the discrepancy between the console and PC versions of Game Pass for titles that might not actually be available for a certain platform, but quite why Doom Eternal can’t also be added to PC at the same time is a bit of a mystery in this case. 

Also, anyone know what happened to Katana Zero? It was featured in that video I posted a couple of weeks back as “available now” but as far as I can tell it was never available and it still isn’t. 

I’m guessing it’s because there isn’t actually a Windows Store version of Doom Eternal available to just plonk up on Game Pass right now; so they need to make one first/port it from Steam.

[RedShell]

2 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

I’m guessing it’s because there isn’t actually a Windows Store version of Doom Eternal available to just plonk up on Game Pass right now; so they need to make one first/port it from Steam.

Ah, I see. That makes more sense then.  

Hopefully it won’t take too long to sort out anyway.

[Julius]

EA Play coming to Game Pass Ultimate on November 10th. 

And December for PC:

Quote

and beginning in December, members with an Ultimate or PC subscription will be able to download and play games from the EA Play library on Windows 10 PCs

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Julius

[Kaepora_Gaebora]

Chance to win a free Xbox Series X this weekend with Sea of Thieves, anyone near pirate legend level at all? 

I'm Gold Hoarders 47, Order of Skulls 36 and Merchant Alliance 30, so I'll be lucky to get everything at 50 ready for the weekend, which you need to be to be in with a chance!