Support NeoGAF

[kingfey]

That's easy for someone to say on a forum, but Microsoft isn't going to take that attitude. That was evident when they reversed course on their attempted XLG price hike. So whether or not guys like @FeldMonster are the "target consumer" or not, he is still a consumer and part of a significant revenue stream for Microsoft. I don't think Microsoft can be heavy handed with this and force XLG folks to convert to Game Pass Ultimate.

If MS were so serious about this, they would have done it long time ago.

Xbox live gold was testing the waters.

 

[Captain Toad]

Playing online should never have been behind a paywall, that’s the first thing that should change.

I totally agree Microsoft should be looking to simplify their offerings. Parents don’t have a clue what Gold is or what it even does. Just give us a few gamepass tiers with different offerings and keep it simple.

They won't do that. Right now people see Gold as mandatory. So, upgrading to GamePass or GPU is a difference of paying an extra $60 or $120 a year.

If people don't need to pay anything to play online, the difference is $0 vs $120 or $180. GamePass becomes a harder sell. Especially since it's easier to get people to upgrade when they're already putting in their credit card to sign up to play online.

 

[Zeroing]

For better or worse ( depending on your perspective ) MS is a trend started!

 

[Captain Toad]

But… I don’t want game pass and would rather keep that money.

I'm glad one Xbox fan can admit there are plenty of Xbox fans with no interest in GamePass.

Many people like to own games, often physically, but not necessarily. Lots of people will want to own physical copies of big, first-party Microsoft games. Anything else on GamePass will only be there for a period of time.

Forcing those players who pay for Gold, but not GamePass to buy GP, would just be charging them $120+ a year just to play online. This would clearly make people upset, and I see no way Microsoft does this.

What they COULD do is basically what Sony did - rename everything to fall under the same umbrella. GamePass Basic, $60 a year, ability to play online and a small selection of games, similar to current GwG games. Leave the other tiers of GP the same at $120 and $180 a year.

 

[onnextflix5]

Simple fact is long term they want everyone on gamepass,weather u like it or not, the days of cheap xbl are numbered.

 

[lughnasadh123]

"so do you love me or not?"
"baby, I'm just trying to find ways to contemplate"

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

I would be interested if they gave me the option to pay for the whole year instead of monthly. I'm a 20 year Gold subscriber already, and to be thrown into monthly payments wouldn't jive with me at all.

 

[Hendrick's]

That's easy for someone to say on a forum, but Microsoft isn't going to take that attitude. That was evident when they reversed course on their attempted XLG price hike. So whether or not guys like @FeldMonster are the "target consumer" or not, he is still a consumer and part of a significant revenue stream for Microsoft. I don't think Microsoft can be heavy handed with this and force XLG folks to convert to Game Pass Ultimate.

I think they will do just that. Your Gold will convert to Game Pass lowest tier. It's inevitable really.

 

[Topher]

I think they will do just that. Your Gold will convert to Game Pass lowest tier. It's inevitable really.

That doesn't work though. Gold was purchased for the purpose of playing games online. Converting those customers to a tier that does not include online and then making them pay extra to get online? That's a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. It would make Sony removing "Other OS" from PS3 look like small claims court case. If they are going to do anything then they will have to push those Gold members to Ultimate. I mean....at this moment, Microsoft is still actively selling subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold everywhere. How are they going to turn around and invalidate the benefit that their customers just paid for?

No.....no way this happens.

 

[adamsapple]

I think they will do just that. Your Gold will convert to Game Pass lowest tier. It's inevitable really.

I think *IF* they even plan to merge Gold and lower tier Game Pass, they'll need to add some more extras than just offering Game Pass and ask Gold owners to start paying more than they were paying before.

Whatever that extra could be, well this is all a hypothetical discussion for now.

Maybe EA play joins the lower tier GP.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

With the 20th anniversary of Live being this year, I can see the announcement happening this year but the implementation happening sometime early next year. December at the earliest.

 

[Topher]

I think *IF* they even plan to merge Gold and lower tier Game Pass, they'll need to add some more extras than just offering Game Pass and ask Gold owners to start paying more than they were paying before.

Whatever that extra could be, well this is all a hypothetical discussion for now.

Maybe EA play joins the lower tier GP.

How do they convert XLG to a Game Pass tier that doesn't include online play though? I don't think they can. They have to put them in the tier that at the very least gives them the same benefits they had before, right?

 

[adamsapple]

How do they convert XLG to a Game Pass tier that doesn't include online play though? I don't think they can. They have to put them in the tier that at the very least gives them the same benefits they had before, right?

The idea is that if GP and Gold are being merged to the lower GP tier, it should include Online Gold stuff as well.

Gold + Games w/ Gold + Game Pass + EA Play: $10
Game Pass Ultimate: $15

No matter what they do, asking people to start paying more for only wanting online will not be received well in any capacity. We saw how quick they made the U - Turn last year after being tarred and feathered online.

 

[Godot25]

It's time to cancel online requirement, move Gold deals to Game Pass and cancel whole Gold.

It is ancient service that makes no sense in 2022.

 

[Topher]

The idea is that if GP and Gold are being merged to the lower GP tier, it should include Online Gold stuff as well.

Gold + Games w/ Gold + Game Pass + EA Play: $10
Game Pass Ultimate: $15

No matter what they do, asking people to start paying more for only wanting online will not be received well in any capacity. We saw how quick they made the U - Turn last year after being tarred and feathered online.

So they would essentially be creating a special case tier for XLG members? Temporary or permanent?

 

[onnextflix5]

It's time to cancel online requirement, move Gold deals to Game Pass and cancel whole Gold.

It is ancient service that makes no sense in 2022.

Lol thats not happening, thats killing off both xbl gold amd gamepass Ultimate. That's way to much money.

 

[Banjo64]

I think *IF* they even plan to merge Gold and lower tier Game Pass, they'll need to add some more extras than just offering Game Pass and ask Gold owners to start paying more than they were paying before.

Whatever that extra could be, well this is all a hypothetical discussion for now.

Maybe EA play joins the lower tier GP.

I don’t know. I think £49.99 to £95.88 is a decent jump in price for MS, but the value of getting access to Game Pass for just an additional £45 for Gold members is very palatable.

Personally I think that’s the way to go. Just roll Gold in to Game Pass basic and get rid of GWG (because it’s fucking wank).

 

[chonga]

Xbox Live Gold as a separate service will def be phased out at some point now that Sony merged PS Now into PS Plus.

Microsoft are the only one left with 2 sub services. Seems like an inevitable change.

PS Plus
NS Online
XB Game Pass & XB Live

Probably will just add the Live Gold features into the base $10/month GP sub. Convert people up for free and move on.

It is funny actually because in typical Verge fashion they ran a couple of poo-poo articles after the PS Plus revamp was announced. One of them was that by having three tiers Sony had just made subscriptions too "complicated" and "confusing".

It seemed to be entirely ignorant to Microsoft's offering which is to have Gold, Game Pass for console, Game Pass for PC and Game Pass Ultimate. And then they're talking about a family plan on top of that as well. According to The Verge all of that is "simple".

 

[adamsapple]

So they would essentially be creating a special case tier for XLG members? Temporary or permanent?

If they intend to get rid of Gold for good, whatever arrangement they need to make would need to be permanent and favorable so there's no backlash from Gold only subscribers.

But let's preface this again, this is just an unverified rumor for now, and if it needs to come to pass, MS probably has high paying CA's doing this work for them.

 

[Topher]

If they intend to get rid of Gold for good, whatever arrangement they need to make would need to be permanent and favorable so there's no backlash from Gold only subscribers.

But let's preface this again, this is just an unverified rumor for now, and if it needs to come to pass, MS probably has high paying CA's doing this work for them.

So we are talking about a restructure of Game Pass to accommodate XLG. I can see that happening at some point, but probably not for a couple of years.. When news breaks that XLG cards are being pulled from the shelf then we know something is up.

 

[adamsapple]

So we are talking about a restructure of Game Pass to accommodate XLG. I can see that happening at some point, but probably not for a couple of years.. When news breaks that XLG cards are being pulled from the shelf then we know something is up.

That part is really weird. MS officially stopped selling 12 month Gold subs years ago but that hasn't put a stop from Amazon or New Egg or any other retailer from getting non stop replenishes for it.

When they first stopped selling it, I thought it meant it'll phase out from all retailers when the current run of 12 month subs runs out, but it doesn't seem to have happened like that.

 

[Topher]

That part is really weird. MS officially stopped selling 12 month Gold subs years ago but that hasn't put a stop from Amazon or New Egg or any other retailer from getting non stop replenishes for it.

When they first stopped selling it, I thought it meant it'll phase out from all retailers when the current run of 12 month subs runs out, but it doesn't seem to have happened like that.

I thought I remembered something like that happening, but I yeah.....those cards are still everywhere. Very strange.

 

[kyliethicc]

It is funny actually because in typical Verge fashion they ran a couple of poo-poo articles after the PS Plus revamp was announced. One of them was that by having three tiers Sony had just made subscriptions too "complicated" and "confusing".

It seemed to be entirely ignorant to Microsoft's offering which is to have Gold, Game Pass for console, Game Pass for PC and Game Pass Ultimate. And then they're talking about a family plan on top of that as well. According to The Verge all of that is "simple".

 

[VN1X]

I think it's insane that they still charge money to be able to play online. I just want to play multiplayer games, I have no need for any of the other features.

 

[Fredrik]

Absolutely disastrous and would be a death knell IMO.

They need to roll Gold in to the basic Game Pass plan at £7.99 a month.

Game Pass & online play: £7.99 a month.

Game Pass & online play, EA Play, xCloud & PC Game Pass: £10.99 a month.

If they do this, they are so out of touch.

Yeah. Hopefully people aren’t accepting this, I’m not playing online so it’s not really affecting me, yet, but if they do this we should prepare for a hefty price increase on Gamepass Ultimate. Everybody should stack up on the prepaid thing while they can. What’s the current best strategy? Does EA Play cards still work?

 

[TGO]

You could see this coming a mile away.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

The Xbox chart wouldnt look so bad if the common bullet points were aligned at the top instead of staggered, and the 100+ games parts can be condensed into one row.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Microsoft isn't changing the base price of Game Pass from its current $9.99, and I will be very surprised if they do. I also already believe a shit ton more than people expect are already Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, which includes Xbox Live Gold already.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

That gif is adorable. Sailor Moon was so good.

 

[reinking]

The simple solution is to absorb Gold into Game Pass removing the current loopholes with conversion subs and introduce an annual price.

Game Pass Console or PC = $10 mo/$60 year
Game Pass Ultimate = $15 mo/$99 year

Just for laughs, out of the 25million subs on Gamepass, how many (Do you think) are using this 1$ trick.

According to most every Game Pass subscription price post I see either 100% are using the Gold -to- Game Pass trick or the $1 PC trick (before you go get carried away I know it is not 100%). You can't mention Game Pass retail price without people chiming in. Full disclosure, you are damn right I used the three-year conversion on my last sub. Without a discounted annual sub there is no way I will stay subbed year-round. I will treat it like I do Netflix. Sub on the months I want to play something and not give money for nothing on months I do not.

 

[MasterCornholio]

The Xbox chart wouldnt look so bad if the common bullet points were aligned at the top instead of staggered, and the 100+ games parts can be condensed into one row.

Even after that it still looks strange. Naming has always been a bit odd for Microsoft.

 

[Shmunter]

Ms really cornered themselves here. I’m really curious what they’ll do to straighten this out. The obvious answer is to stack online into it and raise price, but that in itself carries consequences.

Xbox Gamepass may yet become Xbox Hardpass

 

[Infamy v1]

MS Is clearly primed to get rid of the Gold requirement in some years from now when Game Pass really explodes. Too much smoke with all the big name leakers and MS insiders hinting at it, and it would severely undercut Sony since they require that revenue source, too. Probably not for 4-5 years, if I had to guess, before it happens.