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Microsoft Announces Xbox Game Pass, Netflix-Style Gaming For the Xbox One (polygon.com)

Posted by msmash on from the netflix-like-gaming dept.

Microsoft today announced it is moving into the world of Netflix-style game subscriptions with Xbox Game Pass, a monthly service coming this spring that will give you a selection of games you can download and play on your Xbox One for $9.99 a month. From a report on Polygon: The service will include "over 100 games," including Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, NBA 2K16 and SoulCalibur II. "One of the best things about Xbox Game Pass is that you can discover and download the full titles directly on your Xbox One," the official post states. Any game you buy through the service will be sold to you at a 20 percent discount. An alpha preview of the program begins today with "a very limited" number of games, and Xbox Live Gold subscribers will get first crack at the program this spring. It also sounds as if the service may be available, at least in part, on the PC.

33 comments

  1. That's nice but not for me by H3lldr0p · · Score: 1

    I'm certain this scratches a certain itch for some of their customers but the only reason any console is allowed in my house is because of the stupid exclusive games anymore. And you know, I'm not all that upset at it. Used to be, but it's too much energy to be angry at that stuff. I'd rather be putting that energy into having fun playing the games.

    So, you know, hope someone has fun with this. It's not the best deal but it's better than nothing.

  2. Sorry but.. by Neuronwelder · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I like playing games on my home made computers. I don't need something made for me... Thank you.. no. (Every day in every way, they take a bit more of what you can pick and control.)

  3. "netflix-style" by fibonacci8 · · Score: 1

    There's a word for that in English: "rental".

    --
    Inheritance is the sincerest form of nepotism.
    1. Re:"netflix-style" by vux984 · · Score: 1

      Nope. The word rental applies to what we used to do at blockbuster... where we'd take a game home for a few days and then return it. Pay-per-view is a pretty similar model, though not sure you can do it for games anywhere.

      'Netflix-style' is a fairly specific model
          a) its subscription based
          b) you have access to the 'catalog' as long as you have a subscription
          c) the catalog changes over time, new games added, AND existing games removed

      I assume this service has all those features.

    2. Re:"netflix-style" by barc0001 · · Score: 1

      Actually no, the word is "subscription". Netflix, O'Reilly Safari, and similar services where you have access to anything in the catalog at any time all for one monthly fee.

      Under the old rental model, one game would cost you $x, and if you wanted another game it was also $x, even if you returned the first.

    3. Re:"netflix-style" by Ranbot · · Score: 1

      ...For $10/mo that seems like a lot of lost potential revenue. Maybe the elimination of the second-hand market covers that?

      I don't think they plan to lose any revenue.... they are offering a 20% discount on any full game purchased through the service, so a $50 game will be $40, but that $10 discount was paid up front with the monthly subscription fee. And to your point any digital purchase or "rental" cuts out the second-hard markets. I think this could only backfire if the service is really bad or feels forced on customers and turns them off.

    4. Re: "netflix-style" by jxander · · Score: 0

      The catch seems pretty obvious: bait and switch.

      "Sign up now and you'll get access to These Great Games!!" A month later, those games are gone, but you can buy them individually to keep playing

      This model works with Netflix: new movie or tv series shows up, I watch it, it goes away, I don't care. Games are a more perpetual experience: you play to get better (gear/skill) so you can play at a higher level, granting even more gear/skill so you can .... you get the idea. A month or two later, when the service takes that all away, you have an increased incentive to purchase the full game.

      Also (not sure if this is a "catch," but) it drives multiplayer game purchases. If I own a full copy of Some Game, but my friend doesn't, this might allow us to play together. Once he gets invested, he's more likely to purchase the game, and all of its DLC

      --
      This signature is false.
    5. Re:"netflix-style" by vux984 · · Score: 1

      There's a few obvious places for catches:

      1) Like netflix, some titles go away after while, so you have to buy them if you want to play them again or finish them or whatever.

      2) DLC? May or may not be included in the subscription title, might have to buy it to get the whole game.

      3) Limited selection. Current AAA games that fit the whole 'buy it', play it for few weeks and then forget it... might not make it onto the service, or might show up months after the initial excitement has died down. There might be a few on the service as loss-leaders to get people in...like netflix the majority of big titles might be nowhere in sight...

      I'm sure it won't be a total ripoff, but there's lots of ways to ensure it doesn't lose any money vs buying the titles.

  4. Serious question. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would you suck a dick for a klondike bar?

  5. Or.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    I could just buy bundles of games for $9.99 on PC through Humble Bundle. I have a library of 1000+ games and on average haven't paid more than 9.99 for a title unless it was a AAA new release.

    1. Re:Or.... by SubtleGuest · · Score: 1

      You may have enough games already.

    2. Re: Or.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Haha you are 100% right! I haven't even played 50 of them. But when you get like 15 games for around 8-12 bucks I figure why not.

    3. Re: Or.... by Ranbot · · Score: 1

      Haha you are 100% right! I haven't even played 50 of them. But when you get like 15 games for around 8-12 bucks I figure why not.

      You already answered why not...

      I haven't even played 50 of them.

  6. Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    There was a time when Microsoft had a coding support system for game developers, where they provided support for developers in regards to coding their games and finishing them.
    There was a time when Microsoft subsidized game developers to help them finish and bring games to the desktop computer, to Windows. It wasn't like the Publisher relationship but a pure "we give you money and you do whatever you can, we won't command you how to make your shit, just fucking do it how you imagined it and finish it!"
    These two alone ushered a Golden Age for computer games. Nothing else was required.
    Microsoft actually got a profit from this in the long term despite the seemingly loss-inducing "benevolent" system, and they got good rep from it.
    This was the 90's when Microsoft was pushing the computer and trying to get the console communities on-board.
    A similar system was used by Sony during its own golden days (PS1, PS2).

    At some time they stopped doing this. And then the downfall began. And now this.
    Well then. I can only say that i have enough monthly bills to pay already. Subscription systems can go flush themselves down the toilet.
    I wonder when the industry will realize that subscription-based systems aren't maintainable or possible unless you completely destroy the diversity and richness of a sector so consumers can actually afford the hit on their wallets. It sounds little when we talk of one topic, but when you stack 20 different subscription systems and sum it all up to your average consumer, you've got a fucking problem and an impending implosion.

  7. If Micro$oft is offering subscription gaming ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    then you can be sure that financially, the deal is way way better for them than for you.

  8. not bad... by Phusion · · Score: 1

    One of the many reasons I'm not a console peasant anymore is because after the XBox 360 faded away, no one was able to hack or mod the XBox 1 or PS4 firmware to allow "backups" (read: piracy) and I'm not going to drop $60+ on new games. So the gaming rig I built for myself works fine, if there's a truly great game that relies heavily on multiplayer, I'll buy it, but that's about it. With this model. I might consider picking up an XB1 some day. I wouldn't mind paying a monthly fee to have access to a modest library of games that keeps updating as new games come out. There are loads of used XB1 systems out there on CL and eBay, I could practically get a new one with a large HDD for a song-- so... maybe this new thing is for me.

    --
    640k ought to be enough for anyone.
  9. Gold vs Pass by FredrikKarlsson · · Score: 3, Informative

    Whats the different between Xbox Gold and Xbox Pass?

    Gold gives you free games each 2nd week
    Pass lets you rent games each month

    "Each week, Xbox Live Gold members can save up to 50-75%"
    Pass saves you 20%

    How is this anything like Netflix? And why should I not pass on Pass?

    1. Re:Gold vs Pass by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      You shall not pass?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Gold vs Pass by sethaw · · Score: 1

      Whats the different between Xbox Gold and Xbox Pass?

      Xbox Live Gold is required for multiplayer. It gives you 4 free games a month. Sometimes the games are good, but sometimes its not unusual for me to not like any of the games for the month.

      Xbox Game Pass will give you access to a larger library of over 100 games at a time but you will still need to subscribe to Gold to play multiplayer. Much of the value here will depend on the exact titles which haven't been announced. It will probably be like EA Access where you get lots of good games but not games that have been released in the last 9 months or so.

      "Each week, Xbox Live Gold members can save up to 50-75%" Pass saves you 20%

      Again, the titles being discounted here really matter. If the game pass gives you 20% off a $40 or $60 title then to me that's better than 75% off of a $5 title. However, if you were subscribed to Game Pass and have access to a game then you don't have any immediate incentive to buy the game.

    3. Re:Gold vs Pass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It does not GIVE you 4 free games a month. It lets you use two games a month at no extra charge as long as you are a gold member. IF you agree to let microsoft have a credit card number on file then they will let you use 2 more XBOX 360 games under the same conditions. After you are no longer a gold member you lose access to the games they let you use. Oh, and most of them suck, and even the "good ones" are under dollar bin games (or should be).

    4. Re:Gold vs Pass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no, with the 360 games they are yours to keep regardless of whether you remain a gold subscriber,. the Xbox One games though do require you to stay a subscriber. Most of them do not suck, many recent releases that are still expensive even on the second hand market regularly come up. usually I get at least 1 decent game every 2 months out of it which for the sub cost of $50 a year easily justifies it.

    5. Re:Gold vs Pass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      After you are no longer a gold member you lose access to the games they let you use

      No you don't.

  10. New games or older? by will_die · · Score: 1

    So are any of those games that will be available on it recent AAA releases?
    If so I would gladly sign up for it if available on the PC. There are very few games I play for over 2 months so this would pay for itself in quick order.

  11. Seems to be a response to "EA Access" popularity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This seems to be a response to the popularity of "EA Access". It is a monthly paid service that gives you access to a lot of EA games. Not my thing, but many others seems to like it.

  12. Re:If Micro$oft is offering subscription gaming .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This just in: Companies profit by offering services to people who pay for them. More after commercial break.

  13. Look at the partners: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    2K, 505 Games, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, Codemasters, Deep Silver, Focus Home Interactive, Sega, SNK Corporation, THQ Nordic GmbH, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

    Does that look familiar? Those are the same people who do Humble Sales, GreenManGamming deals, and BundleStar discounts. This isn't going to give you SFVI with all DLC, its going to give you the modern equivelant of Yo Noid! The same crap I pass on every month at 90% off won't entice me to to pay $9.99 a month. I don't want to play PacMan 256. I want to play For Honor. I want the yearly Destiny required update downloaded and ready to install for release day. Don't compete with Humble Microsoft. At least with them I know the money goes somewhere good, even if I don't get more than a few hours of Goat simmulating.

    1. Re:Look at the partners: by Robyrt · · Score: 1

      That's why Microsoft is sweetening the deal by adding its own first-party titles like Halo 5, just like Netflix became increasingly reliant on its own new content.

    2. Re:Look at the partners: by unrtst · · Score: 1

      YAY. One title (Halo 5) that is currently going for $19 new on amazon, and a bunch of garbage. And you'd have to pay the $10/month for pass, and another $10 for xbox live so you can play online, just to get temporary access to it.
      Oh, but you can also play Soul Calibur II, if you want to reminisce on the old PlayStation 2 and Gamecube days. How the hell is this a title they are leading with?

  14. Re:Seems to be a response to "EA Access" popularit by Zak3056 · · Score: 1

    That was my thought as well... EA Access is a hell of a deal ($60 a year, and just about every EA game seems to go into it eventually). For the cost of one game a year, you're getting EA's entire catalog about six months after release.

    --
    What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
  15. xbox member gold by nzl · · Score: 1

    whether on the web is the most inexpensive prices xbox gold member http://www.noelgame.com/2017/0...