The next generation of console gaming has already arrived, and fans seem ever-excited about learning what's looming over the horizon. While the ongoing shortages of consoles have made it hard for many fans to get a next-gen console, hype and expectation for next-gen games run rampant.
Sony is currently leading the charge in the department of system-selling exclusives with Demon's Souls and Returnal being excellent showcases of the new hardware. Microsoft on the other hand is playing a different game, rapidly acquiring users with consumer-friendly practices such as backwards compatibility and most importantly, Xbox Game Pass.
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There's little doubt that Xbox Game Pass is the biggest ace up Microsoft's sleeve, and the value of the service is speculated to grow exponentially with big acquisitions. With the service rapidly gaining traction among gamers, competitors are eager to grab a piece of the pie. While the offerings from the competition are sure to get much better in the following days, it's clear that Microsoft already has a big advantage going for it.
It's certainly the most obvious, but also the most important. Xbox is currently defined by the popularity of its subscription service Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft is also adamant about doubling down on the service, constantly looking out for potential acquisition opportunities and third-party deal signings. While the service is already great in its own right, Xbox and Microsoft are planting the seeds for exponential growth in the future.
With high-profile acquisitions such as the likes of Bethesda, future titles like The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield are sure to increase the value of a minuscule $10 subscription by ten folds. Xbox doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to delivering compelling exclusives from promising studios such as Rare, but it just might right its wrongs this time.
In addition to this, most third-party developers would have more inclination towards putting its premier titles on Xbox Game Pass instead of any other potential competitor. With an already compelling library of exclusives to warrant a purchase, it would definitely be a more profitable and risk-free avenue for most developers.
Xbox has already planted the seeds for future growth of the service, but the giant already has great plans for expanding the scope of the service beyond its proprietary Xbox consoles. Xbox Game Pass is also available on PC, and xCloud has already debuted on mobile devices including iOS after a workaround using the device browser. Rumors of a potential partnership between Xbox and Nintendo are already doing the rounds, and speculation points towards xCloud being available on the Nintendo Switch as well.
Creating a competitor to Xbox Game Pass is certainly a monumental task, which requires incredibly deep pockets. SIE president Jim Ryan has already stated that such an endeavor is a risky investment, and putting first-party exclusives on the service at launch isn't profitable from a financial standpoint.
That hasn't stopped publishers and developers from entering the space, however, with EA Play Pro and Ubisoft+ being two shining examples. Competing with the cost of an Xbox Game Pass subscription is another trial, as both of the aforementioned subscriptions costing more than Microsoft's offerings.
All in all, it seems that Microsoft's aggressive stance on expansion and an already strong position in the market has made it hard for consumers to even enter the subscription market space. Even if competition does manage to make a noticeable impact, Xbox Game Pass' prior existence still makes it a much more profitable avenue for third parties to invest in for the foreseeable future.
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