Game changer: every Xbox Series X Games Showcase title will hit Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass generosity may swing next-gen in Microsoft’s favor
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Whatever your opinion of the eternal battle between PlayStation and Xbox, one thing’s now clear –Xbox Game Passis going to be an absolute game changer forXbox Series X.
Every single one of the 21 titles shown off in itsXbox Game Showcaselive event will be coming toMicrosoft’s subscription service (and a fair few to PC too, with theXbox Game Pass Ultimateupgrade), meaning Xbox players with a subscription will have instant access to a healthy catalogue of games as soon as they pick up the new console.
FromHalo InfinitetoEverwild, theFable rebootto Forza, they’ll all be available as part of the monthly subscription fee the moment they’re released. And, in the case of the first party Xbox Game Studios titles, they will be there forever too – provided you keep up your payments, of course.
Say bye-bye to sixty Buck/Euro/Pound (delete as appropriate) game purchases, and hello to a value-driven subscription future.
Easing the burden of jumping to next gen
It’s a smart move from Microsoft, a Machiavellian machination it’s made for much of the second half of this current console cycle – get people hooked on the value of Game Pass and, much likeNetflix, you’re likely to secure a dependable, lifetime drip of money from a customer too enamoured (or lazy) to switch off the cash tap.
Add in theProject xCloudstreaming promise of taking all these games on the go with you on a mobile device, and it’s hard to find a weak link in Microsoft’s next-gen strategy.
Sony’sPlayStation Nowoffering attempts a similar strategy, but hasn’t been able to match the apparent generosity of Microsoft’s service, what with the fact that its top-tier exclusive first party games hit Game Pass immediately upon release.
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And with the price tags of both consoles still yet to be revealed, Microsoft is making an early play for value over thePS5console. Sure, the hardware will be expensive, but withXbox Game Passyou’ll get Xbox Series X’s best games for the cost of a takeaway per month. It’s hard to argue with, and Sony is going to have to dig deep to match it.
Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site’s home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don’t expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of ‘Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future’, published by Aurum Press.
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