For years companies like Xbox relied on consumers purchasing their hardware and paying for video games individually. However, we started to see a new trend for services, and Microsoft is pushing their Game Pass out into the market. It’s a service that allows players to gain a massive catalog of video games to download or stream online.
To some consumers, this is a thrilling service. All of Microsoft’s first-party video game titles are available through this service. Then you have several third-party games coming out into service regularly. For someone who is just picking up a new Xbox console platform or has a capable gaming PC, the Game Pass service is a great way to enjoy various video game titles quickly. Then there’s also the added streaming feature which is currently available for PC and mobile devices.
However, some consumers find this service as unsustainable. After all, you’re paying less than $20 a month to gain all these video games instead of having players pick up titles individually like Forza 5 Horizon, Halo Infinite, or Starfield. Recently, the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, spoke with Axios, where the conversation of Game Pass came up. Phil Spencer reassured readers that there is no cash-burning plot going on right now. Microsoft is not throwing away money for an end goal to see Game Pass being sustainable.
“I know there’s a lot of people that like to write [that] we’re burning cash right now for some future pot of gold at the end. No. Game Pass is very, very sustainable right now as it sits. And it continues to grow.”
Phil Spencer
Instead, Phil Spencer stated that the service is very sustainable right now. That’s a service that will continue to grow. If this service blossoms, even more, it would be interesting to see what competition comes out to give Game Pass a challenge. Currently, Sony doesn’t offer a service that grants access to first-party games for a flat monthly fee, and the same can be said for Nintendo.