Microsoft is doing some great things already. The Xbox One’s saved game sync is fantastic. If that gets included with the Xbox SDK on Switch and Mobile we’re really going to see cross progression take off.
I’m also excited to see their focus on hardware performance. I don’t want to manage a PC but I do want fantastic graphics.
The studio acquisitions should give them a great first party stable of titles for a while to come.
Looking good!
I’m really excited to see what the next Xbox looks like, internals-wise. Microsoft aren’t going to risk losing the performance crown again, because they saw how Sony got to beat them over the head with it for most of this generation.
I might go so far as to predict that Microsoft goes for big air with the specs, even if it means taking a loss on the boxes for the first few years, like Sony and Microsoft used to do.
I’m also crossing my fingers that the scuttlebutt about XBL on Switch is real, and they announce it at E3 this year. Could you imagine if someone like Miyamoto walked out on stage with Spencer? Heads would explode.
Microsoft are being ambitious right now, and it’s fun to watch. I want to see it pay off for them.
If that’s Microsoft’s takeaway, they’re going to get crushed again. It’s not the the Xbone was less powerful (so were the PS2 and Switch); it’s that it was less powerful and $500 and had no exclusives.
People forget, the exclusives thing didn’t become an ongoing narrative until a few years after release.
The price thing absolutely was a big deal, but so was the underpowered hardware - and it still is to this day, with games that run at 1080p on the base PS4 needing to drop to 900p or even 720p on the One S, with performance issues to boot.
It was all PS4 fanboys talked about for the first couple of years of this generation. The price thing was basically “fixed” after they gave up on the Kinect, but the performance issues have persisted.
I also never indicated that “More Power!” would or should be their ONLY takeaway for this generation (and it clearly wasn’t, what with them acquiring a hundred studios last year) - but that doesn’t make more powerful hardware any less exciting to hear about.
They won’t be trying the stupid Kinect combo so they won’t get screwed on price again. The exclusives angle we will have to wait and see how the new studio purchases pan out and what the new AAA studio they started in San Diego comes up with.
Having the most powerful hardware gives Microsoft something positive to talk about. Having game studios developing console exclusives is something else positive to talk about. Game Pass is the best value in gaming, especially combined with game sharing. It costs me way less for my 3 boys and I to play games on Xbox than any other platform. That’s not a situation everyone has but the value of Game Pass is another big positive.
Minor nit - the new Microsoft AAA game studio is in Santa Monica (LA), not San Diego.
Limited Amazon deal going on. Buy 3 months of Gamepass get 3 more free.
Rumors, rumors …
Yeah, then after a few months, they will do away with the standalone Xbox Live sub. Then, increase the price of this combo “deal” to $24.99.
I think it’s a great idea to combine the two services, if only to avoid confusion. When I trialed GamePass, I had no idea I needed a Live membership to play Sea of Thieves. I assumed online play was included.
It’s the same price as buying them separately? OK, I guess?
I think you save a few bucks. $5?
Live is $60/year and Game Pass was already $10/mo.
Xbox Live Gold is $60 a year, but $9.99 per month. If you buy monthly, that saves you $5, though I don’t know why anyone would do that. Presumably there would be a 3-month or 1-year plan that’s cheaper still, but that’s not mentioned in the article.
It’s useful for someone like me who uses the Xbox rarely.
My only concern with this news, if they are combining the two, would be that Xbox Live’s giveaway of two 360 games a month would go away at that point, if it’s combined into one service.
I know the Xbox One games are temporary, only good as long as you have Gold, but the 360 games are yours forever. I don’t want to lose that part.
There will still be XBL Gold though since not everybody wants Game Pass (for whatever reason).
Is this before or after Microsoft liquidates all of their assets and throws the money into the sea, having clearly lost their mind?
Not everyone wants Game Pass, and I’m sure some people want Game Pass but don’t play online. I can’t imagine either would be receptive to what would essentially be a 3-4X price increase, unless you want to sabotage your own subscriber numbers
Having an option to combine both subs for a discount makes sense, and is something people have wanted for a while. As long as I can still bargain hunt for annual codes, I’m all good.
Yeah, anyone who says that is just spreading FUD.
There may be an upcoming deal on Game Pass: $1 for 3 months.
Might actually be available for both new and former subscribers (not sure about adding it for current subscribers).
3 Months for $1: Promotional discounts not available in Quebec or Russia. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit 1 offer per account. Offer valid from 4/11/2019 9:00 PM PDT though 5/12/2019 11:59 PDT. After promotional period, subscription continues to be charged at the then-current regular quarterly price (subject to change), unless cancelled. Plus applicable taxes. Credit card required.