this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2023
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https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1680733391464071169

@Wario64: Xbox Live Gold will apparently transition to Xbox Game Pass Core on Sept 1st

-includes online multiplayer and various benefits -same price as XBLG -Existing XBLG subscribers will convert to Core -includes 25 Game Pass titles -GWG offers will end

cafe.naver.com/xboxinfo/100598

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[–] [email protected] 68 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

I really, really don't like the "games as a service" thing Microsoft is trying to shove into the industry. Just watch, it will pan out exactly like the streaming services. Once the golden years (equivalent of OG Netflix) of "burn money by throwing in more games than we can afford" are over, we will gradually see fragmentation, price hikes, cost-cutting, etc.

Fuck Microsoft.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but whatever.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I know what you're saying, and it's definitely possible this will backfire on us, but currently Microsoft has been really dedicated to PC gaming and have been really good to PC gamers.

All games are released on game pass day 1, which means you can play all of their new games for cheap vs having to pay $100 CAD+ for them. They are also releasing their games on steam, which means you don't even have to use their platform. They are also integrating other companies into game pass, so you can play EA Games and Ubisoft games if you have a game pass subscription. I played the crap out of battlefield 2042 through my game pass subscription.

They also have the ability to play Xbox only games on PC, which is super awesome. It requires the next tier up, and then you can straight up play Xbox games on your PC. I was playing Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts. It launches the game in some kind of cloud gaming emulator thing.

So idk. I don't really agree with your Fuck Microsoft attitude, because they are currently being really incredible for the PC gaming market. I say we can be skeptical about the future, but I don't really see much to hate on right now.

Edit: Microsoft also doesn't require a subscription. Like I said, you can buy their games on steam, or you can buy them from the Microsoft store. A subscription is optional, and it's nice for people who want to pay $15 CAD per month and play a crap ton of different games instead of paying out right for 1 game.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Microsoft ... have been really good to PC gamers.

Don't forget that businesses are not your friend. They don't care about you. They only care about making money.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I know. I didn't say they were. That's why I said we can be skeptical, but there's no reason to be so upset screaming fuck Microsoft when they are currently being really great when it comes to gaming.

The same could be said about steam, by the way. At any moment Gabe can fuck us over, or can die and we get fucked, but until we see that happen, I feel like we all trust steam.

You can be skeptical over Microsoft, especially because of their past, but their new manager in charge of their gaming division is doing really well. In fact, I'd say investing in Microsoft for gaming right now is a better deal, considering it's a cheaper monthly fee. My steam account has a bit over 10,000 dollars of games in it that Gabe can take back at any time. That's 666 months (55.5 years) of an Xbox game pass subscription in Canada. It's more risky for me to continue buying on steam. I won't, as I love steam as a platform, but it still is more risky.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

screaming fuck Microsoft when they are currently being really great when it comes to gaming.

Try cancelling the Gold subscription and then tell me how really great they are. All the shenanigans you hear American companies using to prevent you from doing that suddenly rear their ugly head. 'Oh the membership portal is down, call in', [2hour wait on the phone later] 'oh, you need to contact this dept. instead even if this was the number support gives you for cancelling subs'. 'oh fine you want to cancel okay, but it will only take effect at the end of the month and IF you use the service any time between now and then it will renew the subscription'... and so on until you call the CC company, ask them to revoke the autopayment, they refuse (because you had an agreement that's lasted so long), so you close the card and warn them any and all payments that come out are their problem so get on that shit now before it costs them money...

Nah, they're a corporation. One with negative influences that far exceed what little good this ONE aspect of their business might seem to you. Even in this 1 thing, they are good to you until that is no longer in their interest, then they try to F you every way they can.

Fuck Microsoft, especially for Gold Live for fooling rubes into thinking they're this great magnanimous gift to humanity.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I tried posting this comment already but it didn't go through? But I literally got a partial refund from Microsoft for cancelling my subscription. They refunded me for the unused days.

Not sure why you're so angry at Microsoft.

[–] DanseMacabre 8 points 1 year ago

I've cancelled various subscriptions through Microsoft probably 10 times over the last 15 years and never had any issues. In fact my experience is often that the bigger the company the easier it is to cancel things or get a refund. Hell Amazon has on multiple occasions just sent me money for something I wanted to return and told me to not bother even returning it.

Obviously I'm not defending megacorporations - they're fundamentally incompatible with a moral society, but of my many complaints with them, "Their products don't work" or "Their customer service is subpar" is almost never one of them.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

You shouldn't assume I'm on team Steam just because I'm not on team Microsoft. This isn't r/pcgaming on Reddit where everyone is blindly praising Valve.

I prefer a game store where I actually own my games anyway, like GOG.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Okay. I don't see the need to be a negative Nancy and be upset at everyone all because the company has the potential to screw you over. Microsoft nor Valve are being bad guys right now. They are doing wonders for PC gaming, and as a gamer, I'm really excited.

I'll change my thoughts and opinions as needed, but for now, I'll enjoy the small victories in life.

Also you do realize that steam allows developers to upload DRM free games to steam, right? Where you can copy the .exe and play the game without ever installing steam? Not sure why you're upset over steam or think they are a required DRM.

https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

They're doing wonders for PC gaming in terms of getting you to consume more of their product. It's okay to enjoy that, it's also recommended to stay aware of the fact that businesses primarily care about making money. I assume that you're capable of doing both.

Steam allows DRM-free games, but does nothing to incentivize them. You cannot download games without their proprietary client, and some games still have DRM on Steam while being DRM-free elsewhere: https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Batman:_Arkham_City

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Well. Of course they are currently good to PC players. They want to take over a large chunk of the market after all.

The new food delivery business local to me has also been giving me a lot of subsidized delivery options. Until they run out of money or own a large chunk of the market that is.

GamePass for me actually ends up being more expensive. The majority of games on there aren't really good games or one I'd like to play. So once we approach a subscription only model I'll have to pay 15 money per month to just play that one game I like.

[–] nivenkos 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's already happened with games like Redfall - just pump out any crap to keep up the "content" numbers.

And then raise prices once you've got a large market.

In the end it'll be like Netflix - mass-produced, low-quality games for a steep subscription - more aimed at sitting your children down to keep them quiet, than a high quality experience for gamers.

[–] DanseMacabre 6 points 1 year ago

Redfall's development was started years before Microsoft acquired Zenimax. They had nothing to do with any of the GAAS stuff in that game. In fact people at Bethesda were hoping that Microsoft would cancel Redfall because its development had been so troubled, but Xbox apparently has a very hands off approach with their studios. Maybe that will change in the wake of Redfall's disastrous release.