From the official reveal of the anticipated next instalment of Call of Duty, Black Ops 6, to the unexpected prequel of Gears of War, E-Day, this year’s Xbox Games Showcase has reignited a new wave of passion and excitement for both gamers and long-time Xbox fans. Among the sea of great announcements and trailers, one message came across loud and clear, “Play it day one with Xbox Game Pass.”
By putting their first-party games and biggest hits onto their monthly subscription service, Microsoft can not only bolster their Xbox player-base (on both PC and console) but also incentivize their paying customers to opt in for the more expensive, highest tier, Ultimate. However, this strategic decision is not without drawbacks, as a simultaneous release on both the storefront and Xbox Game Pass will inevitably lead to cannibalization of their own sales and lower revenue earned.
It is a careful balancing act for Microsoft to ensure that their players are continuously satisfied with the catalogue of Xbox Game Pass while not hinder the earning potential of their games, studios and developers too much.
Only time will tell how this move by Microsoft will play out. Meanwhile, let’s get ready to clear out some memory space for all the fantastic games coming out soon!
That's a wrap on the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase! We're incredibly excited to jump into another great year of games.
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