Komatsu
Member
Games just cost way too much to make, far more than films and tv shows and also take far longer. Then the potential audience is far smaller than film streaming.
As you said, they have to compete with COD Warzone, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Apex Legends and all sorts of other free to play games.
I do not believe that is accurate, though I can understand why you'd think that way given how fast TV production costs have risen recently. Prestige TV tentpoles the likes of which drive stream services subs are vastly more expensive to produce than even the largest AAA games. A single season of The Mandalorian - not the most expensive show ever, mind you - cost only about 10 million less than the whole development budget for GTA V, one of the most expensive games ever made. Not a single piece of electronic entertainment was ever remotely as costly to churn out as the last two seasons of GoT, the total cost of the 2 seasons of Rome, etc. etc. And most streaming platforms finance dozens of expensive shows every quarter. Netflix laid out $17 billion in cash for original programming last year - more than the budget of all Rockstar games ever made put together.
As it currently stands, with EA Play included and the whole slate of Microsoft franchises (Halo, Gears of War, most of the XB360 big hitters, etc.), and major titles from publishers such as SEGA, Square Enix and Ubisoft, GP is the best deal around in gaming and I have been following all subscription models since their inception - I subbed to PSNow within 30 minutes of the service launching. It really is a game changer, which people who don't game on Xbox platforms often can't appreciate.
By my calculations, I have spent about $320 USD last year on games that I would never have played if not for Game Pass. Just Cause 3 and 4? Would not have bought 3 if I hadn't played the third and fourth entries on Game Pass. Senua? Bought it after playing on Game Pass. Attach rates for GP subbers are high and the service does provide incredible value: I replayed the entire Mass Effect trilogy with a buttery-smooth frame rate on XSX for 15 (!) bucks a month. Currently 80h into Dragon Quest XI. How much did it cost? Same 15 bucks of month. Switched back and forth between Knights of the Old Republic on Xbox BC and Doom Eternal. How much was it? 15 dollars a month.
It is very good and getting better. It's also forcing Sony to up their game and I've enjoyed how much Now has improved in the last year or so. But it sill does not hold a candle to Game Pass.
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