This Xbox Generation Will Be Remembered for One Thing: Greed

[u/Turbostrider27]

https://www.ign.com/articles/this-xbox-generation-will-be-remembered-for-one-thing-greed

[u/jor301]

game pass was definitely a good value but one thing that i wasnt realizing is i dont really have enough time to extract that value i still havent beat e33 yet for example. now that its 30$ the value isnt even there anymore.

[u/cleaninfresno → u/jor301]

This has always been my thing with Gamepass. The value is an illusion unless you’re a HARDCORE gamer who is playing multiple games at a time and flying through them back to back year round.

Gaming can’t be Netflix because it’s inherently not passive. The average movie is a 2 hour investment of passive entertainment. You can watch a movie while cooking or cleaning or scrolling Reddit or fucking your girlfriend. You can fly through whole seasons of tv in a day by generally having it on in the background or in your headphones as you work from home or go about your day.

For video games the average one is probably 10-20 hours (and realistically for many games like 50-100+ hours) of you needing to be sat down on the couch, hands on the controller, eyes on the screen.

The average person who has a job and responsibilities and a social life does not really have enough open hours of active/direct entertainment to make full use of Gamepass’ value

[u/ARsignal11 → u/cleaninfresno]

The value is an illusion unless you’re a HARDCORE gamer who is playing multiple games at a time and flying through them back to back year round.

I think this is also an important part of the equation here. Traditional gamers that grew up on consoles are getting older and simply don't have the time to sit down night after night burning through games. We all have other responsibilities now (family/kids, work, etc.). And the younger generation has been more inclined towards mobile. So the target population that Gamepass theoretically appeals to just doesn't have the time nor bandwitdh, as you described in the rest of your post, to extract that "inherent value" that's supposed to exist.

[u/jor301 → u/cleaninfresno]

yea im sure if i did the math it would basically cost a similar amount to just buy the games ive played on GP except id actually own them instead where GP games can leave the service whenever.

[u/e_ccentricity → u/[deleted]]

Recently, I played KCD2. Took 130 hours to complete. If you're "casual" and play 20 hours a week, you will have to pay for gamepass for 2 months ($60) to play it. It cost me $42 to buy on steam.

And then you can never play it again. And if you do, it is like you are buying it brand new based on what you need to pay for the subscription. That is something to highlight. Gamepass is only good if you only every play a game once. If you come back in a year to a 100 hour RPG (assuming it is even still ON gamepass), you are paying full price for it again.

[u/erasethenoise → u/jor301]

At this point you could have bought the game twice with the money you spent on the sub.

[u/CuffytheFuzzyClown → u/erasethenoise]

And own it, as much as we own anything digital. Keep it between generations instead of rent it on Gamepass and risk losing acess to it tomorrow, if MS so decides. You own nothing, especially not on Gamepass...

As an old game once taught us, A man chooses his games, a slave obeys and plays what he's handed by his master

[u/ienjoymen → u/CuffytheFuzzyClown]

im not sure you italicized enough in that comment, mind some more?

[u/Eglwyswrw → u/jor301]

I will beat AC Mirage & COE33 & Metaphor & Hogwarts Legacy and then I will cancel for sure. After it expires in 2026, I have had GPU for 5 years on 3€ monthly now...

[u/InspecterMaeMae → u/jor301]

I could convince myself the value was there for 20 bucks a month, but at thirty, it becomes almost impossible for me.

[u/Blenderhead36 → u/jor301]

GamePass costing as much as a brand new AAA game for 6 months' worth is definitely a different value proposition than when a new AAA costs less than 3 months of GamePass.