Like the PlayStation Now subscription service, the Xbox Game Pass offers players the opportunity to enjoy hundreds of games at a small monthly fee. The service has benefited players who love playing games from the Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, but it's also gotten criticism from gamers who believe a subscription service could worsen game quality and create an influx of titles that are free to download but require money to continue playing. However, as the service continues to evolve and adapt, more evidence suggests that the Xbox Game Pass is more beneficial to the industry than a hindrance.
Compared to PlayStation Now, the Game Pass has many foundations in its creation that set it apart from all of its competition. For starters, the service is available on more than just consoles. Instead of only being offered on an Xbox, Microsoft has also extended its service to PC players. This is helping expand the player base and bridge the gap between console and PC gamers. Another service the Game Pass offers is direct downloads on all games rather than just current-gen titles. By only scratching the surface of the service, Xbox Game Pass makes leaps and bounds to separate itself from the competition; this even includes its pricing.
Xbox Game Pass is available for PC and consoles at $9.99 a month. But their Ultimate subscription, coming in at $14.99 a month, includes a subscription along with Xbox Live Gold, which allows for online play and is valued at $9.99 a month. Ultimate users also get access to EA Play and free perks on game content, along with the ability to play games on an Android device or tablet. The accessibility becomes even more appealing thanks to new users only paying $1 for the first three months of each subscription level.
Since the service has three console generations worth of games, there is an endless treasure trove of content to explore and play. This means young players can explore some of their favorite franchise's earliest entries, and veteran players can take a trip down memory lane with classic titles. This inadvertently helps keep gaming from becoming a disposable medium that disregards the quality of older titles in favor of the latest and greatest. Thanks to Microsoft's long list of titles, it encourages players to replay the classics and keeps them from being treated as disposable.
The Xbox Game Pass gives players a chance to experience some of Microsoft's first-party titles like Halo and Gears of War. With both particular franchisees still releasing new titles, its remasters of original copies of the games come few and far between. Thankfully, the service gives players a new avenue to experience them. Now, it's even easier for players to experience Master Chief's escape from the Flood or the first time that Marcus Fenix revs up his lancer. Continuous interest in older franchises also adds fuel to its continuation, thanks to gamers constantly playing through the series.
But like Netflix, some titles that aren't exclusive won't stay on the service forever and are pulled whether or not a player has finished the game. However, rather than considering the loss of third-party games a negative, it actually promotes consumerism in the industry. Physical copies of games are still a major money maker in the medium, and by pulling games, players may be more inclined to purchase the physical copy and help nurture the industry. Even though the service will always have room to improve, the affordability of Xbox Game Pass and its accessibility makes it an invaluable addition to the industry.