Opinion: Xbox early access is just a week long delay to encourage FOMO

[ksdixon]

If I want a game that I'm buying day 1, I'm likely getting season pass or pre-ordering already.

Those play 3 days/a week early is just plus plus for me, personally. I appreciate that early playtime more than the usual 6 upgrade tokens at the start of the game.

 

[Ezekiel]

I predicted this would happen.

It's gonna be 2 weeks early access for those who buy the game.
Then 1 month early access.
Then access to a beta 2 months before.
Etc.

Soon enough 'Day one' will be pretty meaningless.

More and more games will be MTX heavy with essential components not part of the subscription, so you get a very basic version of the game included in the sub, and everything on top will cost money.

If you're dumb enough to be in their ecosystem, you'll be dumb enough to gobble their shit too.

 

[Loy310]

It's a way to at least sell some games to people that have no self control.

yup, pretty everyone that eat, sleeps, shits and piss under the capitalist sun.

 

[Nhomnhom]

yup, pretty everyone that eat, sleeps, shits and piss under the capitalist sun.

I think most people can wait 5 days to save $70.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

So that version actually comes with a version you can play early? And then what you lose the license for it on release?

Yes, you get the DLC and 5 days early access but then you have to buy the game (or subscribe to GP) to continue.

It's a way to get more money from people playing on Game Pass.

 

[Loy310]

I think most people can wait 5 days to save $70.

For most games, not most people tho.

Most people are not going to wait 5 days to play GTA6, God of War 7, COD, Fifa when they can pay and get it earlier.

Its more of the type and magnitude of the game being released as opposed to just the people.

Most gamers are going to spend $99 to get GTA6 5 days early. Most gamers are not going to spend $80 to get Dayz Gone 2 early.

 

[SLB1904]

I think most people can wait 5 days to save $70.

Is not really about waiting or not. Is about if they are so confident with their business practices why rely on these tactics?

 

[Nhomnhom]

Is not really about waiting or not. Is about if they are so confident with their business practices why rely on these tactics?

They like money and gamers are suckers.

 

[Sircaw]

I so wanna criticize this practice but I bought the Diablo deluxe edition so i could start 4 days early.

I know it's not on Game pass but still makes me feel kinda dirty.

 

[Bryank75]

I think we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg and that eventually Gamepass will just be the onramp to many games but almost everything will be monetized.

Everything they can split apart or charge for as some type of privilege will be a paid extra, an MTX or you'll have to pay for a much more expensive 'all inclusive' version but even that will have a few things like rare cars in Forza for instance that will still be beyond the scope of the premium subscription.

But as we often say, Xbox / Microsoft have shaped their gamers, not served them. Their gamers change their habits to fit what Microsoft is giving them.
Their achievements reflect that. They scratch the surface of many games but complete relatively few. So the profitability of all these MTX and early access programs remains to be seen.

 

[Nhomnhom]

I think we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg and that eventually Gamepass will just be the onramp to many games but almost everything will be monetized.

Everything they can split apart or charge for as some type of privilege will be a paid extra, an MTX or you'll have to pay for a much more expensive 'all inclusive' version but even that will have a few things like rare cars in Forza for instance that will still be beyond the scope of the premium subscription.

But as we often say, Xbox / Microsoft have shaped their gamers, not served them. Their gamers change their habits to fit what Microsoft is giving them.
Their achievements reflect that. They scratch the surface of many games but complete relatively few. So the profitability of all these MTX and early access programs remains to be seen.

If there is one thing I know Phil Spencer regrets is the day he committed to every Xbox game being released day one on Gamepass. PS+ model is drastically better and easier to sustain.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

If there is one thing I know Phil Spencer regrets is the day he committed to every Xbox game being released day one on Gamepass. PS+ model is drastically better and easier to sustain.

We’ve already seen video streaming services pivot back to 90 day-5 month theater runs after the disaster of day one releases on streaming. Anything Microsoft can do to create space between full price purchases and streaming will be beneficial for them

Games aren’t like office software, just one of these things take over 100 million dollars to make, several times a year they’re aiming for. I could only imagine the development budget for Starfield at this point, after 6 years. Then add the marketing which is twice the amount.

They are gonna try to recoup their development budget back in preorders and the more expensive the games get the longer they will extend the early access period

 

[Deleted member 417]

I said:

Paid-for marketing to make it the next best thing because you're told it's the next best thing.

They do this with artists; create media hype, sell cheap paintings for millions.

Op said:

Just as my post was mocking your smug Alex Jones take on the gaming industry

Then he makes this thread?

 

[Remember_Spinal]

I said:




Op said:


Then he makes this thread?

What have I presented here that isn’t an actual fact?

 

[Deleted member 417]

What have I presented here that isn’t an actual fact?

What did I present that wasn't actual fact?

The industry uses shitty practices to coerce people into buying shit. Water is wet.

If mine is an Alex Jones take, so is yours.

 

[Vertigo]

Early access is scumbag shit to prey upon hype.

Diablo did it. Buy more expensive version to play early… whatever man.

 

[Cool hand luke]

That's a hilarious admission that day one on GP doesn't work for AAA titles. Not that Xbox has had many before this.

 

[Alabtrosmyster]

Well yeah, they needed some way to recoup day and date money on gamepass.

 

[Dr Bass]

This seems worse than just "early access" because if you have Game Pass ... you're not really getting "credit" for that. I honestly don't have a problem with a "deluxe edition" getting released a couple days earlier than the standard. Deluxe editions are usually pretty weak in what you get for the extra money so I think that would be a nice little "bonus."

However ...

MS has been selling Game Pass as "Get Everything on Day 1!" and that whole "Day 1" thing is pretty key. That's basically now a lie, and if you want to get the "early access" (i.e. not delayed access haha) you have to pay the FULL amount? That's obviously a scheme to prey on people's inability to wait. 100 bucks for that is just kinda outrageous if you have Game Pass. I think this kinda thing could be 100 on it's own, and then 30 if you have Game Pass, and you ALSO own the full game if, for whatever reason, it's removed from the GP service. Charging 100 for it even if you have GP is completely lame. They clearly feel the need to start really subsidizing Game Pass, and this is maybe one of the worst ways possible.

That's my opinion anyway.

 

[Vertigo]

The gamepass strategy was always to bank on live service games like Halo, Forza and STARFIELD and get their hooks in by having the vanilla launch game be “free” and then consistently monetize those players with expansion, dlcs, cosmetics and battlepasses.

This is still the plan. Starfield will have expansion content for years… even perhaps indefinitely.

Problem is … Microsoft sucks at making games. They only have Bethesda.