Defining Duke, Episode 184 | The Xbox Game Pass Squeeze FINALLY Happened...
Added 2024-07-11 16:00:11 +0000 UTCAfter years of conversation on the topic, Xbox has finally made long anticipated adjustments to its popular subscription service. Day one Game Pass games are gone from its standard tier and all have seen a price hike. The conversation naturally navigates itself to the "why" in this situation. All subscription services go up whether it's Netflix, Disney+, or Spotify. Is it because of Black Ops 6 impending? Is Day One Game Pass hurting Xbox? Is $20 enough to stop any form of bleeding with that in mind? Are they extracting maximum value from the service at its peak? Are they setting a newer, higher standard for the batch of new subscribers that will join with the launch of a new Call Of Duty game? There's many ways for us to assess, so we'll comb through all of them carefully! Furthermore, we have details on Hellblade 2's performance on the market. From sales to engagement, there are question marks about what this game has done for the platform, so the Dukes dissect what information Circana has provided on that matter. Plus more on Banjo Kazooie, LEGO Horizon on Xbox, the questionable Fire Stick TV ad, Bioshock updates, Dragon Age: Veilguard romance options, and plenty more!
Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:31:56 - Banjo Kazooie rumors
0:38:41 - Guerilla Games on Xbox version of LEGO Horizon Adventures
0:42:38 - Atlas Fallen coming to Game Pass?
0:44:48 - Xbox summer sale 2024 is live now
0:46:35 - Cities Skylines 2 will be missing its Xbox console release
0:49:21 - Xbox Amazon Fire Stick TV ad
0:54:20 - Cloud Chamber is heavily recruiting for BioShock
0:56:28 - Dragon Age: Veilguard romance details
1:02:46 - Star Wars: Outlaws planet details
1:04:58 - Piranha Bytes is the latest studio to be shutdown by Embracer
1:07:45 - New Yakuza Game?
1:12:07 - Bleach Rebirth Of Souls announced
1:17:07 - What We’re Playing
1:41:54 - How do we celebrate our birthdays?
1:47:48 - What Xbox franchise could get a Lego version?
1:50:06 - Will Metaphor: ReFantazio get an enhanced edition?
1:50:55 - Game Pass Changes
2:31:46 - Xbox's Hardware and Software sales
3:04:41 - Game Pass Pick Of The Week
3:10:41 - How would we improve our recording area?
3:19:30 - Wrap Up
Comments
Xbox is dead in the water. Moving all their shit to PS5 Makes owning an Xbox almost completely worthless. Especially with gamepass on everything now. Why even own an Xbox unless ur a humongous fan of them… 🤷
Misko 1023
2024-08-11 23:59:13 +0000 UTCThis was a great episode, good insight in the questions too
David P
2024-07-18 18:34:37 +0000 UTCSpeaking for (most likely) the silent majority, we appreciate what you do Matty and Cog. Part of the value LSM brings is more perspectives in different areas on the gaming industry. If you’re feeling down just know at least one Patron really appreciates you guys.
MrFreundly
2024-07-14 20:13:00 +0000 UTCDefinitely worth mentioning. I’d love to see Xbox to do the same with Game Pass Ultimate. I’d like a set it and forget it option with Game Pass.
MrFreundly
2024-07-14 19:22:35 +0000 UTCIf you buy 3 new games a year, it's worth it (75 for annual core plus 210 [70x3]). 3, to me, is not an insane amount of games.
Mr. Scott If You're Nasty
2024-07-13 10:54:39 +0000 UTCWhen Cog was making the comparison with PS tiers and prices, I think what needs to be mentioned is that PlayStation offers a yearly subscription for a discount, Premium is $160/yr which ends up being $13.33/month.
Marko Krnic
2024-07-13 09:32:12 +0000 UTCIt’s a good value if you play an insane amount of games, or you really like what’s on gamepass. I had gamepass after stacking three years but didn’t renew after it expired. Even with the savings of stacking, I still would have saved money by just buying the games I did play.
Chris Van Buren
2024-07-12 21:36:37 +0000 UTCYou'd be surprised how dumb people are, lol. And this is just for th one game argument. I get it if you're playing new games none stop.
Jacob Lesperance
2024-07-12 19:57:34 +0000 UTCI really don't understand how you guys can't see that even the dumbest consumer isn't going to spend $240 per year to rent a $70 title. The Game Pass changes are clearly signaling a gradual walkaway from day one games.
ByWatterson
2024-07-12 16:00:48 +0000 UTCIsn't the point of a game console, so that they can get the software in your house? If they have multiple means of now getting that software into your house...why do they NEEEEEEEEEED you to buy a console? They don't, sure it'd be nice, but I bet a shit ton of people would rather buy a $50-60 dongle instead of a $200-500 console to play the same game. Is it just a 'this is how things have always been done' kinda thing? That doesn't always make sense.
Lou & Rei Loper
2024-07-12 14:41:03 +0000 UTCAgreed
Lou & Rei Loper
2024-07-12 14:37:56 +0000 UTCI don't believe xbox is launching a console early. Why would they have commercials and all their marketing blast how no console is required and then release a console? Lol that makes no sense.
Jacob Lesperance
2024-07-12 14:04:25 +0000 UTCDid Matty just say PS5 has been bn dry. Regardless of first party they have made sure to have an exclusive lineup. Xbox launched with no games for the console for almost 2 years Ps5 launched window- Demon Souls Miles Morales Returnal Sackboy. This last year alone. Rise of Ronin Rebirth Stellar blade HellDivers2 Pacific Drive AstroBot SilentHill2.
Jacob Lesperance
2024-07-12 14:00:38 +0000 UTCThe Dragon Age romance segment was pure gold. "YOU IN THE REALM OF THE DUKES YOU BETTER GET DOWN!"
Seany Mac
2024-07-12 12:32:00 +0000 UTCGame Pass main value is about playing multiple games in the subscription. It was true before, it is still true with the higher prices. If you play just 1 game each month, the sub price is probably cheaper than buying the game. If you play 2 games it's a no-brainer. I don't understand the argument "is it time to start buying games again?". I played Senua's Saga and A Plague Tale Requiem (for instance) at launch, by paying my sub that month, instead of 50 usd. I did not spend 100usd to play them, i spent way less.... With new prices that is 40usd for 2 months of GPU and 24usd for GP PC - still saving LOTS of money... You can also dip in and out of the sub if you find yourself not using it that much. Of course, nobody likes price increases, but compared to buying games the value on cost is still there.
Manuel Nascimento
2024-07-12 07:44:07 +0000 UTCSo it was 'Matt's Booty is rank but I'll still gobble up those sweet, sweet man titties' - Matty did us dirty
Your Boi Nicky V
2024-07-12 06:39:58 +0000 UTCYo that Danganronpa pic was wild. 😅 “You in the realm of the Dukes, you better get down!” Lmao I don’t think we’ll see a Hellblade 3. I’ll take it a step further, you guys hyped up Ninja Theory way too much here. Of course it’s going to look good when there’s barely any gameplay. I think if their next game doesn’t hit, they’re gone. #PayUPDD
NeO JD
2024-07-12 06:07:09 +0000 UTCRelease the Nicky V cut
Caleb Peacock
2024-07-12 02:24:08 +0000 UTCI'm a bit confused by what the Dukes are saying. Console GP growth has stalled and MS is looking to entice more users on PC. I understand it's a better deal than on console and I understand that COD will be there. I just don't understand how many users there are that weren't interested at $10, but now are going to jump onboard for COD at $12. So someone had to be not interested in all the great games on the service, but now they're going to subscribe instead of just buying the game for the equivalent of 5 months of GP?
Ealia Staroverov
2024-07-11 19:56:12 +0000 UTCKinda sorta correction. Matty talked about still being able to download PS3 games after the store shutdown. That is true, but the decision was reversed and the PS3 store is still up and running.
Ealia Staroverov
2024-07-11 18:48:21 +0000 UTCI completely agree, I did a quick Google search for "game pass" and the headlines and posts out there are just ridiculous. First people complain that it's stupid, then they complain that it's unsustainable at the price, then it gets an increase, then they complain the price went up, new things get added, they still complain it's unsustainable, they complain again that the price went up. Good grief haha.
Lou & Rei Loper
2024-07-11 17:43:53 +0000 UTCI feel like the tiers of Gamepass with day one games would STILL be worth it around 40 bucks. A new game is 60, plus think of the huge library just sitting there. It just depends on how much you play.
Diddy’s Dong Quest
2024-07-11 17:36:18 +0000 UTC
