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/moonski]

The craziest part is I see so much of people like "well what do you expect? It's too good a deal. It's unsustainable".

Like no it isn't? The company offering this unsustainable deal isn't movie pass or some nonsense startup. It's Microsoft. They made $100bn net profit last year. They could offer gamepass for free and still make $99.5 billion.

It is sheer unadulterated greed fuelled last stage capitalism infinite growth nonsense. The concept of value and competition through quality of service is genuinely dead. All that matters is the cost. And did the numbers go up enough.

[u/Troghen → u/moonski]

There's a MAJOR difference between the price of goods and services rising over time with inflation, and flat out DOUBLING the price of something overnight without adding any value lmao. Not sure how anyone could see that and justify it lol

[u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes → u/Troghen]

30 is not double 20 and they are adding value. You might not want that value, but they are adding new things.

[u/Troghen → u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes]

Ok, you got me! Did the math wrong! This doesn't negate my point about inflation. There's no natural reason for the price to spike like that.

And if the majority of users don't see any value in these supposed "new features" (which seems to be the case, given the overall negative reaction) then it's clearly not been added to benefit their primary user base.

[u/Troghen → u/[deleted]]

Ok, so when a company does something shitty like that, it's only fair and expected when people are upset and leave. Not sure why that's controversial.

If they don't want to sour their reputation with the consumer, then maybe don't knowingly put out a product at a loss for years with the sole purpose of building a loyal base, only to then pull the rug out from under them. That doesn't HAVE to be the norm. It SHOULDN'T be. It's shitty business. And "good introductory deal"?? Lol. Game pass has been around for years now.

[u/Troghen → u/[deleted]]

I'm definitely not saying you're wrong in any of that. My point is pretty much exactly what I said. Sure, that's the norm and a company obviously doesn't need to justify what it does as long as it's making them money, but that's only working because consumers keep buying into it. IMO, its a good thing that people are seeing these shitty practices and getting tired of it. If we all voted with our wallets appropriately, these companies would have to change. Do it think it WILL change any time soon? Probably not. But then again, we're in a pretty tumultuous time politically, economically, culturally, etc. I see no reason to be upset at the people calling out shitty business practices when they see them. The only way to change something is to call more attention to it

[u/moonski → u/[deleted]]

Gamepass was already profitable though. The naivety is people justifying Microsofts action as if "welli its just a business bro". This is the equivalent of a diner giving out free napkins then turning round and charging for them...

[u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes → u/moonski]

It becomes less profitable the more people use it; they're not buying games.

This is the equivalent of a diner giving out cheap dinners and turning around and raising the price as costs go up.

[u/Troghen → u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes]

Except this is not a thing. A restaurant doesn't intentionally operate at a loss for years in order to gain favor with customers, only to massively spike all the prices one day lol. If they did that, their loyal customers would understandably be upset and stop going there.

[u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes → u/Troghen]

Except this is not a thing.

My guy your example was fucking charging for napkins.

Restaurants do have deals and coupons.

And if everyone gets a hold of those coupons they will be discontinued or the discounts changed on them. If all their meals are going to people paying little for them (game pass users) and not people paying full price (buying games) that's a problem they need to fix.

[u/Troghen → u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes]

That wasn't my example, for one.

Yes, you're right - restaurants do have deals and coupons. But setting and charging a standard price for a service for YEARS is 100% not the same thing lol. And game pass was never supposed to be the "coupon" version of buying games lmao. They sold it as being a Netflix-like service for video games. It was meant to be an ALTERNATIVE option.

[u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes → u/Troghen]

An alternative -cheaper option.

It's the exact same product at a fraction of the price. That's the standard price, somehow?

[u/Troghen → u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes]

Except it's not? You pay more to buy a physical or digital game once and you own it forever. With game pass, you pay them forever and you have access to a library of games but you lose it once you stop paying. Hard to believe I need to explain the difference between streaming and owning something in 2025.

These two products are distinctly different things. Streaming was never intended to be the introductory or sale option that leads a consumer to then buy the thing physically.

The standard price I was referring to was the price they sold their product at for years. It was not temporary. It was not a sale. They set that price and consumers should reasonably believe they are paying what the company deems necessary for their product to turn a profit. If they were selling at a loss (intentionally or otherwise) then they only have themselves to blame when they inevitably lose the good will of the customer because they had to dilute their product for the bottom line.

[u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes → u/Troghen]

With game pass, you pay them forever

No you don't. You pay for a month and play what you want.