Agreed. Even after ABK goes through, they'll still be in 3rd place which is great for me because when you're last, you have more leeway which works out perfectly for me.
I actually agree with this to an extent. Personally, I don't stay subscribed to any subscription service (games, movies, tv series, etc.). For Game Pass, I sign up for a month like I will do in January for a Plague Tale Requiem (and if I have time, High on Life) and then cancel the subscription once I complete the main game im signing up for in the first place. Even if I was to stay subscribed for an entire year, it would cost me $120 for the base service. If I was to buy Redfall and Starfield, the cost would be the same. Even if I did Ultimate which I wouldn't as it offers nothing extra for me, the cost would be $180 for the year which for 2023, would still even out when I take Stalker 2 into account. Add in Lies of P and Flintlock and I actually come out ahead. It all comes down to how people use the subscription service and how many games they're interested in playing. As for a price hike, even if the base was to go to $15 a month, it would still be far cheaper for me than buying the game and trading it in as im not a collector.
Exactly.
The only problem is that #2 and #3 would take too long for Microsoft to accomplish which in my mind is exactly what PlayStation fans would want them to do because it allows Sony and PlayStation to dominate. Only problem is that Microsoft isn't going along with those ideas. It's also far easier and quicker to acquire studios and publishers due to the fact that they're already established and well known as opposed to trying to build up everything from the ground. Sony took years if not decades to establishe their core studios (Santa Monica, Polyphony and Japan Studio/Team Asobi) and the rest were basically acquired and built up since then.
I want games first and foremost on my Series X because it's my primary gaming console (same as what PS4 was for me last generation) but if games I want to play are on PlayStation 5 (timed or fully exclusive), I will play them there. Main reason I heavily favor Microsoft and Xbox Series X is because why spend more money on games if I don't have to? Especially since I trade them in once I complete them anyway.
Excellent points. Warriors will reply that it’s like totally different!!!!! when Sony buys studios because they like totally only buy studios that worked exclusively with them prior to acquisition!!!!!. So at the end of the day, Nintendo gamers couldn’t play a Naughty Dog game before they were bought by Sony because Sony had already been paying them for years to keep them exclusive. How is that any different
Also a lot of people here throw out the idea that GamePass will rise in price as if everyone doesn’t know that. We all know a price increase is coming. It’s what the services go through.