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Microsoft rebrands Xbox Game Pass, also more proof XBL is becoming free

Infamy v1

Member
https://www.thurrott.com/games/xbox/238570/microsofts-updating-xbox-game-pass-branding

For the past few weeks, we have seen a few changes to Xbox Live and now we can add Xbox Game Pass to the equation. Microsoft announced today a subtle, but important change.

The company is rebranding Xbox Game Pass to simply Game Pass. This move distances the companies Game Pass subscription from being explicitly tied to its gaming console. The company is also changing Xbox Game Pass for PC to simply Game Pass for PC.

Xbox icon and everything is still the same on the logo. This makes so much sense. Xbox Game Pass for PC sounds so stupid when the PC is not an Xbox, lol.

Also, more proof that XBL Gold is going away and online multiplayer will be free:

While this is a minor update, this may be the start of a bigger transition for Microsoft. The company recently removed Xbox Live pre-paid cards for 12 months from its website and many, myself included, believe that this is the start of phasing out Xbox Live Gold.

Employees cannot buy the 12 and 24 month XBL subs anymore.

August is upon us...
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
Still seems to be confusion around this.

If Gold gets rolled into Game Pass and F2P games match Sony that's one thing. It is another if Gold going away means if I bought a Xbox but not GP and still am able to play online MP.
 

SaucyJack

Member
There’s no way Microsoft are “phasing out” over a billion dollars of easy revenue.

More likely that they combine Gold and Gamepass in some way. And in all likelihood a way that is a bit more expensive ...... but, of course, providing so much more “value”.
 
There’s no way Microsoft are “phasing out” over a billion dollars of easy revenue.

More likely that they combine Gold and Gamepass in some way. And in all likelihood a way that is a bit more expensive ...... but, of course, providing so much more “value”.
Wouldn't this just be Ultimate which I'm paying for at this very moment 14 bucks a month for everything.
 
Honestly, I don't think online will become free, they make too much money easily thanks to that ... The disappearance of Xbox Live Gold 12 months means in my opinion that they will replace it with Xcloud Gold 12 month instead, the online will not become free but the Xcloud will be included ...
 

sainraja

Member
If they really are making online multi-player free I would be surprised. What I see more likely is, Microsoft is removing the pay wall for F2P games (since Sony doesn't require plus for F2P games) and consolidating the number of plans they offer (I am thinking something more along the lines of Xbox All Access that gets you online play, console etc.)
 
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Vawn

Banned
Still seems to be confusion around this.

If Gold gets rolled into Game Pass and F2P games match Sony that's one thing. It is another if Gold going away means if I bought a Xbox but not GP and still am able to play online MP.

It's the latter.

They are looking more toward the mobile and Fortnite-style F2P model, where they make most of their revenue from microtransactions plus the monthly GP subscription fees.

If Gold is going away, what happens to my GWG games? Aren't those tied to an active Gold sub?

This is a good question. I'd guess they'd just give you full access to them.
 
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Antwix

Member
If Gold is going away, what happens to my GWG games? Aren't those tied to an active Gold sub?
If MS were to be the "good guys", they would just reward all the Gold members who redeemed the past GWG games as "owned" games, much like 360 games are with GWG. One can only hope...
 
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Infamy v1

Member
they probably have some research data by now telling them to erase Xbox word for any initiative.

We know they want gamepass on everything, so this is a first step.

Always have to be one of the usual suspect fanboys trying to derail the thread with trolling so bad it makes N4G look good.

You got it, random internet warrior. MS has research data that tells them Xbox branding is bad, somehow, and that's the reason for this. Not the plethora of other obvious reasons people have been saying for years, that line up with recent initiatives and heavy rumors. Nope, no sir.

Also, and I know I'm biting but what the hell, they could have Game Pass on everything and still have the Xbox word in there, like they had for PC. But you know that.
 

demigod

Member
There’s no way Microsoft are “phasing out” over a billion dollars of easy revenue.

More likely that they combine Gold and Gamepass in some way. And in all likelihood a way that is a bit more expensive ...... but, of course, providing so much more “value”.

This is how I see it. F2P MP will actually be free. The downside is other non F2P MP will now cost more via Game Pass.
 

Vawn

Banned
I hope so as that would be huge and put pressure on Sony. If not, it could be a PR disaster going by the discussions around these rumours I've been reading.

I don't think it would really cause PlayStation to do anything different. We went the entire PS360 gen in a similar, but reverse, situation and it didn't seem to hinder Xbox.
 

Humdinger

Member
I see this as further evidence that MS is "all in" on the subscription service model and has decreasing interest in consoles (except as a way to push subscriptions).

I doubt they will make XBL free. They are already investing/spending/losing untold millions on building the subscription-based future they envision. I would be astounded if they voluntarily gave up the millions (billions?) in revenue they get from XBL. Their bottom line would be a bloodbath.
 

Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
Still seems to be confusion around this.

If Gold gets rolled into Game Pass and F2P games match Sony that's one thing. It is another if Gold going away means if I bought a Xbox but not GP and still am able to play online MP.

By the smell of things all online MP is now free to match the Windows side of things, so a Gold tier doesn't need to exist.
So if you buy an Xbox and no Gamepass you will still get to play online MP, just like you would if you bought a new PC and tried to play online.

The GP subscriptions will still exist:

GP for Xbox - Consoles
GP for PC - Windows
GP for U - All the above + xCloud streaming.

People who use xCloud on their the TVs, Tablets or Phones have to get GPU.

I do wonder what happens with Games with Gold though.
Gold XB1 games stop working once you are out of sub, will GP subscriptions respect the games we got during GMG because not every GMG is on Gamepass.
 

Keihart

Member
Online MP needs to be free if MS want Halo Infinite F2P to be a success.
i mean sure, it would be better if it was free but it's not stoping F2P games on PS4...F2P games get online even if you don't have a PS+ subscription...
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
I don't think it would really cause PlayStation to do anything different. We went the entire PS360 gen in a similar, but reverse, situation and it didn't seem to hinder Xbox.

Oh I agree. I think the main things this would/could do is 1, possibly force PS5 pricing lower and 2, add more value to, or reduce, the monthly price of PS+.

By the smell of things all online MP is now free to match the Windows side of things, so a Gold tier doesn't need to exist.
So if you buy an Xbox and no Gamepass you will still get to play online MP, just like you would if you bought a new PC and tried to play online.

Most seem to agree. I really hope it is true for the simple fact this increases competition and means a better deal all round whether you are Xbox or PlayStation.
 
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BeardGawd

Banned
This name change helps with integrating the brand with other platforms and makes a lot of business sense. Game Pass for PS5, Game Pass for Switch, etc... This didn't work as well with "Xbox" in the title. Also with this name change it's not limited to only "Xbox" games. So PS exclusive games could be included in the GP for PS5. The end goal I'm sure is to have Azure be the game streaming backbone for the industry.
 
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Smart move in a business sense. MS wants to be a subscription service in the gaming sphere rather than a traditional vidyagame company.

I say this as a day one Sexbox buyer, and a proponent of Gamepass as the best deal in gaming today.
 

Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
This is how I see it. F2P MP will actually be free. The downside is other non F2P MP will now cost more via Game Pass.

Gamepass and XBLG cost the same.

If they were doing a "You need Gamepass to play online" basically all they are saying in a roundabout way is "Your XBLG subscription now comes with Gamepass for free" which would actually be bigger news and even more of a positive.

But I dont think thats whats going on, I seriously think they are just making Multiplayer free for everyone.
Its only fair.
Windows gets MP through MS servers for free.
Xbox should get MP through MS servers for free.
 

Max_Po

Banned
I can definitely see both GOLD and PSN+ changing.

- Basic, All Multiplayer free .. NO Bonus
- Gold/Next Level ... monthly free games, Bigger Sale discount, Online Storage
- Gold PASS/PSNow PASS
R O F L I am never signing up after my 1 dollar deal expires ...
 
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My guess is the conversion of all of your Gold to Game Pass serves the purpose of eliminating gold. How many people here no longer have a gold subscription because you paid either $1 or $15 to upgrade your membership to GPU? I know I have GPU, and I'm certain a lot of others do as well.

How else do they get rid of gold without insulting the people who have Gold renewed all the way until 2023?
 

Mmnow

Member
I don't think it would really cause PlayStation to do anything different. We went the entire PS360 gen in a similar, but reverse, situation and it didn't seem to hinder Xbox.

That was because Live was better than PSN. It had less downtime. A certain major hack solidified it.

It wasn't the only reason it worked. People with Xbox had no choice but to pay for it. That's how you got the most out of Halo and Gears. But at the time there was no competition.

The question is, how does that compare to now? Do Sony have the multiplayer games to keep people on the service? Will people buy PS+ for third party, or will they get an Xbox and play for free? Will the quality of Sony's service suddenly skyrocket and Microsoft's suffer?

Is gonna be fun to find out.
 
Its true. The Xbox branding is being dropped as Xbox Live is remolded into something new and bold that will reach everyone...

No longer will you have to pay an arbitrary fee to access the other half of the game that you already paid for.

Now, through the divine intervention of the Great Phil Spencer, Microsoft presents an arbitrary fee to simply continue breathing. They simply call it the "Live" service.

See its not just Xbox anymore, its yo mother fuckin neck bro.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
It makes you wonder what is the next move? Is this just q goodwill move? Can you buy a game and just play its multiplayer?

Are they just restructuring the way they make money in that division?

I dont know how many live gold subs there are but if they have 40,000,000 @ $60 that is 2.4 billion dollars.

I cant see any company giving away that money as a goodwill gesture.

Xbox live is free, its gold that costs, is that righf?
 
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Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
This name change helps with integrating the brand with other platforms and makes a lot of business sense. Game Pass for PS5, Game Pass for Switch, etc... This didn't work as well with "Xbox" in the title. Also with this name change it's not limited to only "Xbox" titles. The end goal I'm sure is to have Azure be the game streaming backbone for the industry.


Yup.
Its literally them setting up a future where everyone calls game subscription services Gamepass.
Hell 5 years from now MS Gamepass will be synonymous with this shit....first to market and killing it.
Smart TVs already have Gamepass integration....down the line your TV will be called shit if it doesnt support Gamepass.
I know they didnt want to be tied down to a single plastic box but this really is crazy.

MS is already the biggest company in the world....I think they just cemented their future.
/hyperbole
 

Neofire

Member
Yup.
Its literally them setting up a future where everyone calls game subscription services Gamepass.
Hell 5 years from now MS Gamepass will be synonymous with this shit....first to market and killing it.
Smart TVs already have Gamepass integration....down the line your TV will be called shit if it doesnt support Gamepass.
I know they didnt want to be tied down to a single plastic box but this really is crazy.

MS is already the biggest company in the world....I think they just cemented their future.
/hyperbole
More like cemented, why buy a Xbox Series X if that "end all be all" gamepass is coming to TVs, mobile, pc etc...
 

Kev Kev

Member
xbox is all about that game pass now. this is really interesting to watch unfold. i feel like big changes are coming to console gaming over the next generation. its exciting honestly.
 
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