It's safe to say that Phil Spencer has transformed Xbox since he took over the brand in 2014. Perhaps the biggest transformation, aside from studio acquisitions, is Xbox Game Pass. However, persuading those at Microsoft that Game Pass was a good idea, wasn't always easy.
In a WSJ report on Microsoft's new Gaming CEO, Phil Spencer, it was revealed that Phil had to push hard for Game Pass to become accepted at Microsoft. Richard Irving, who previously worked on Xbox in the Xbox One era, talked about Phil's challenges in building the service.
"In meetings, Mr. Spencer’s staff would present arguments for why Game Pass wouldn’t work — publishers wouldn’t participate, or it would eat into profits..."
"[Phil Spencer] wouldn’t take no for an answer..."
We think both Phil himself, and Microsoft, will be happy that he was so insistent. The service recently surpassed 25 million subscribers and Game Pass is growing at a rapid pace.
It's been fantastic news for us as gamers too. The amount of value the service provides is remarkable, especially when you factor in that every game from the Xbox Game Studios portfolio is included at launch. Oh, and that portfolio will consist of 35 studios when the Activision deal goes through!
Is Game Pass Phil's biggest win as Xbox boss? Let us know your thoughts below.
Comments 17
@Kooky_Daisuke That's actually an interesting point because I've heard from numerous folks that the main reason for why they don't want to subscribe to Game Pass is because they want to own physical copies of the games. But just as you say, digital games are becoming more and more popular and it's much more convenient as well as cost-efficient to subscribe to a service like Game Pass and play all these games digitally instead of buying each one individually. Which is why I'm glad Game Pass exists because I wouldn't like an all-digital future where you have to pay €60 for digital copies of games. But €15 a month to play hundreds of games, including day one releases, now that's a future I'll happily be on board with.
Game Pass is a great service. I was skeptical at first but after I took that 3 months for 1$ pill, I have been paying fir the sub till now. Totally worth the price.
I'm sure I would have been one of those nay-sayers in his way. Whoops!
The Game Pass model is in my mind the 'best' decision made for gamers. Its not a 'sales' business where Devs/publishers have to think about the 'commercial' side and favouring 'safe' sellers over more 'risky' creative venture. Games have to be made for the players first and foremost as you want them to subscribe and stay subscribed month after month.
Activision is a great example of a Sales based model. Their studio's couldn't make games to compete with the 'sales' juggernaut that was CoD so why let High Moon make a game when they can ensure CoD comes out on time and sells more than their own game would - thus making more money. It got to the point where 'every' studio ended up supporting CoD. Ubisoft too are getting close to that with Far Cry, Assassins Creed & Tom Clancy based games. With numerous games 'underperforming' in terms of sales (Division 2, Watchdogs, Ghost Recon etc), several big F2P flops too (XDefiant, Hyper Scape) and some in development Limbo (Skulln Bones, Beyond Good & Evil 2), that puts more pressure on to double down on commercial projects, find ways to extract more money from each...
Also Game Pass/Cloud allows for much greater volume of gamers to play. Its not 'only' on Xbox so not limited to how many people game on Xbox consoles. That's why FH5 and Halo can reach 18m & 20m players, Sea of Thieves with over 25m players yet 'Returnal' only sold around 560k several months after releasing and R&C had only 1.1m sales too around the same time (probably both higher now - but does illustrate the difference).
As for 'ownership' of games, I'm a 'collector' and still have 'EVERY' Xbox game I bought since the OG days. Until I had to move and downsize, I still had boxes and boxes of games going back to Vic 20 games I'd typed out and saved on cassette, old hardware etc. I never buy music/TV/Movies digitally so I do get the 'ownership' thing with games too-but Game Pass doesn't stop me from buying ANY game. It stops me paying a 'premium' price to be able to play on Day1 - I can buy 'Physical' versions in sales years later IF I want.
What sets Game Pass apart from Sales models is its focus on the gamer and the creative freedom it allows to devs. If Devs want to take a creative risk, the 'gamers' will decide if it works or not, not a publisher who is concerned about whether it will sell and prefer yet another 'sequel' because that's commercially safer. It allows Studio's to have their own identity and of course that benefits the gamers
35 studios is huge. Get one more so we have 36, that way a studio could release every three years but also means we have one game each month.
@Kooky_Daisuke The only unknown thing about GP compared to film and music is that the music industry makes thin margin on digital music, and most of that goes to the publisher, not the performer, performers make up the money on live tours. Film makes thin margins on digital video and most of that goes to the publisher and carrier, and makes up the money on theatrical release and merchandise. With game pass, the store/service is the only monetization front, so the money has to be made up with mtx/nft. So it leaves a little worry that it will accelerate games following the mobile models of heavy P2W design where playing the game means pumping quarters into the machine. I love GP at the moment, but there's also the potential that it could lead to unintended end-runs around the model by scummy publishers.
With luck, Sparticus ends up a solid GP competitor to keep each other honest.
Lot of people will disagree, but I just not see game pass that great a deal. At least for me. Majority of the games are the 8 bit style nintendo games I played 30 years ago.
Everyone will counter saying ohhhhhh look at all these triple A games on game pass! It's awesome! OK? If you really think for a moment that $15 price point is going to stay your crazy. Within next 3 years it will shoot up to $30-$40 a month and most likely be tiered brackets as well. Maybe even more to include "xbox live" as they are going to get rid that. Plus not even touched on how games come and go at rate can't really even play them all or have time for them (considering I work and have a consuming occupation).
Personally call me crazy. But I was perfectly fine getting my annual Xbox live 12 month membership on sale for $40-$50 then buying whatever game I wanted or game fly the game I wanted. It worked. It was fine. It did the job.
You always want staff that are going to push back and challenge ideas. The last thing you want are Yes Men working under you that are going to go allow with every bad idea you want. Theres always the third option people forget about, the best option... The end result isn't either just "yes, this idea is good, we're doing it" or "no, this idea is terrible, forget it." The best option is initially "no as is, here is what we have problems with, how do we make it better, and eventually improved to be a yes." Game Pass seems like it is the result of the third and best option. All thanks to an understanding leader and a good support staff.
I don’t even want physical media. It is all just clutter. One big plus for me with the series X is also how understated it is.
allow Serbs to subscribe to the gamepass. stop discrimination
And include Serbia in coutry listing
they even went a step further. they included an ip check that by chance a Serb would not register in one of the neighboring countries
Gamepass is maybe the best gaming module currently in the gaming industry and those apposing it, hates it more than anything possible lol. The doom prophets who downplayed it is now lost for words and u hardly see them yapping away on the comments anymore or in articles. They've been silenced and humbled by a far superior business warrior the likes of Phil Spencer. This was also the reason I left Playstation after 5yrs and joined XB in stead. Thank you Phil, u r a remarkable man sir, wow!!!!
@oconnoclast You lost you sense of reality, the raving and ranting in you mile long comment makes no sense. I will gladly pay even $30 for this service if I had to and most feel the same. It's still worth the money any day of the year, period!!!!!!!!!!!
@Medic_Alert Wow, well said mate. Right on, u nailed it, period!!!!!
@oconnoclast OK maybe I understood you wrong, but u surely could've wrapped it up in mcuh less words perhaps lol?
@GuyinPA75
I’m pretty certain that the majority of games on Game Pass are not 8-but style games.
If it isn’t for you, that’s fine. One of the good things about the way Game Pass is set up is that you can still buy the games separately. GP is just an option, another way to get access to games. Regardless of what happens in the future though, it’s a great price now, which is what matters
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