Gaming analyst explains how Microsoft gets a PS5 player to buy their 1st Xbox – ‘Damn clever’

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Analyst Michael Pachter (67) has been involved with video games for a long time. He explains Microsoft’s new strategy behind the three new console versions. For him, the goal is clear: Microsoft wants to get people who have been playing PlayStation for ages to buy the first Xbox. For Pachter, the Xbox Game Pass is the business model of the future. This is questioned on a panel.

Pachter sees this strategy at Microsoft: In a discussion format, Patchter explained the strategy behind the 3 new Xbox variants that Microsoft presented at the showcase (via gamepro):

  • He says Microsoft has not yet revealed the exact specifications, but a new Xbox will no longer have a drive and will be purely digital, with a hard drive of one or two terabytes (note: Pachter is referring to the Robot White Xbox Series X – it has 1 terabyte of storage and will cost around €500)
  • Pachter says: “This is clearly the console for the Game Pass.”
  • What Microsoft is trying to do is clear: They want to get a PlayStation user to buy their first Xbox and sign up for the Game Pass. That’s clever.

    • An old Xbox game was only available for 36 days – a professional wrestler has over 2,700 copies and wants more

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    Former PlayStation boss takes a critical view of Game Pass

    Are there counterarguments? A journalist from Gamesindustry.biz questioned the subscription model behind the Game Pass. Many players only buy one or two games a year. He asked whether they would be willing to pay $17 for a subscription model that they would hardly use. He is still not convinced by the business model.

    Shawn Layden, a former boss of PlayStation, was also on the panel. He pointed out a catch with the “Game Pass” model:

    Players are only renting access and not buying property. The question is whether people are willing to pay $17 for something that can be taken away from them at any time:

    “If you pay money for the privilege of having access to content, but the access can be revoked at any time, then you don’t own it, do you?”

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    Analyst is convinced of Game Pass, sees opportunity to dominate like Xbox

    This is what Pachter says: Pachter shows ways in which the Game Pass could become even more attractive:

  • Microsoft could offer everyone free2play games to get onto the Game Pass for free – without charging any fees as a platform, then all mobile games would come there and potentially bring 3.5 billion players with them
  • Microsoft could also include World of Warcraft in the pass, for which players pay a subscription fee anyway

    • In any case, Pachter seems to be of the opinion that Microsoft has the edge in the battle for players. Mobile gamers in particular would play more than just one or two games, just not on the console, but on their mobile phone.

    The possibility that WoW will actually come to Game Pass and that you will indirectly save on subscription fees or get much more for your money has been discussed since it became clear that Microsoft was planning to buy Activision Blizzard: Is WoW coming to Xbox: “The dream exists,” say the developers

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