Microsoft recently announced that, after much speculation, it would finally increase the price of Xbox Game Pass. Fans, who had expected this increase, found the service model almost obsolete due to its high cost.
Industry analysts, such as journalist Colin Moriarty, discuss how this strategy is counterproductive and how, at the moment, PlayStation Plus Extra is becoming a better option. The players agree with this, and Xbox should be paying attention to the reception of the upcoming price increases, this may affect the total active users.
If the Call of Duty Strategy Doesn’t Work, Xbox Game Pass Could Be in Trouble
After the announcement that Call of Duty Black Ops 6 would arrive on day 1 for Xbox Game Pass, all Microsoft followers knew that this service would eventually increase its price.
This week, the company finally confirmed this increase, and clearly, users are seriously considering whether to stop paying for it or not. Once this Activision game launches on the service, it will be a significant milestone in terms of player retention.
Industry experts, such as journalist Colin Moriarty, compared Microsoft’s strategy to its PlayStation counterpart.
Major changes to Xbox's Game Pass prove what we've long said: It doesn't work as-is. Period.
— Colin Moriarty (@longislandviper) July 12, 2024
A bigger story for our show is Sony stumbling into a superior Game Pass Standard analogue with PS+ Extra that's cheaper, has more and better games, and doesn't sacrifice the core model. pic.twitter.com/XXuL0wNKfm
The debate was pretty fired up, the community is divided.
Not only is PS+ extra cheaper.
— opykkqqww (@PETTHEPEEPO) July 12, 2024
It also let's you claim 36 games per year.
The best part is that when you see games updates every month, you have a clear definition of what games are entering.
Alot of Gamepass games are like "im not getting this, it's on EA play""not a day 1"
Sony fans think that PlayStation Plus Extra is better.
PS+ Extra is $120 a year and you do get a solid choice of games, that is for sure.
— Dial T for Tyrone (@BritInTheMitt) July 12, 2024
Game Pass is too expensive.
Why isn't it better? There are more games on it that interest me than Gamepass. Especially if you aren't a fan of Xbox first party anything. PS+ is better for the money and doesn't need day one games. Imagine if they did. That would be a wrap
— OrochiPops (@OrochiPops) July 13, 2024
Sony offers a similar and much cheaper service with almost the same number of games as Game Pass, which seems to indicate that the Japanese company has the advantage thanks to this new price increase. Despite differences, the catalog is solid, and the only drawback is that not all games are immediately available.
If Microsoft Continues Down This Path, Sony Could End up Winning the Race
This discussion intensified in a post made by the journalist on his X account, where he included a segment of his podcast discussing the topic.
Obviously, users quickly started commenting on how PlayStation Plus Extra is a better deal currently compared to Xbox Game Pass. Currently, there is almost a $100 difference between this service and the Ultimate version of Microsoft’s service.
The new tier that Game Pass introduced, Standard, provides access to the entire game catalog and online gaming for $15 per month, or approximately $150 per year.
This version of the service is unique in that users cannot access day 1 release games, unlike the Ultimate subscription. On the other hand, in terms of the number of games, both services are quite balanced, but the price difference is evident.
Several rumors suggest that Xbox Game Pass will continue to add numerous Activision and Blizzard games in the upcoming months, despite the recent price increase. These types of titles can make a difference and even justify the service’s price.
However, all of this depends on whether players choose this service over another. The next few months will be crucial for Microsoft, which will be able to see if its strategy works.
What are your thoughts on the difference between these two services? Let us know in the comments!
