As time goes on, it's becoming more and more apparent that Xbox Game Pass isn't just marketed as the "best deal in gaming," it actually is the best deal in gaming. Proof of that can be seen in the Xbox E3 2021 press conference alone, where Microsoft showcased 30 new games coming to Xbox platforms, 27 of which are headed to Game Pass the day they launch. The service didn't turn into the best deal in gaming overnight; it's been building momentum for years now, but with the release of the Xbox Series X and S, Microsoft has really doubled down on making it a must-have for all Xbox owners.
With the Game Pass hype train quickly chugging along, it's easy to understand why it's been picking up so much speed over the past six months or so, as more and more titles come to and are announced for the service. It's only now that the question of when the train will stop has started to come to mind in Xbox Game Pass enthusiasts and subscribers. One day Xbox Game Pass will most likely slow down, however, just because Xbox Game Pass is slowing down doesn't mean that it will stop being great.
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The current Xbox Game Pass lineup is stronger than ever and after Xbox's E3 presentation, it looks like it's going to just keep getting better. While it might seem really strong right now, it's likely that there won't be any big announcements for it anytime soon as the 27 games Microsoft announced for it will be launching over the next two years. Because of this, it might seem like there's going to be a drought in terms of new Game Pass announcements as Microsoft steadily builds towards the next big reveal. Because of this natural rise and fall of announcements and releases, a lot of the discourse surrounding the service for a while might be about it slowing down until another big reveal hits at some sort of press conference.
Xbox Game Pass will only truly slow down if it stops hosting new Microsoft first-party titles or if other publishers no longer see it as a smart place to house their games. Fans will know that the service is slowing down if announcements for new titles begin to stop. There shouldn't be any concern if the number of new titles starts to slow as long as there have been new games announced for it. However, if new releases start to take a dip and announcements for day one games also start drying up, then it's likely that the service might truly be slowing down.
It's currently tricky to pinpoint exactly when a Game Pass slow down might happen. Microsoft has really doubled down on Game Pass at least until 2023 so it's likely that support for the service in the way that it's currently being recognized will continue for at least several years after that. It's important to note that it seems like Microsoft is wanting to change Game Pass over time, at least in the way that it's presented or accessed. With the Windows 11 update from earlier this week and the talks of an Amazon Firestick-like Game Pass equivalent potentially coming to TVs, it's likely that the service is going to be changing to meet the needs of other various platforms.
Game Pass' evolution might potentially mean that its focus might shift from being exclusively about gaming to more of a media service as a whole. It might start including TV shows, movies, and other services that other popular media subscription companies might provide to broaden its appeal. That broadening of scope might be when the Game part of Game Pass might begin to slow and potentially be put on the backburner. Obviously, all of this is speculation, but it seems like the path Microsoft is headed down based on the current trajectory of Game Pass as an all-encompassing service.
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Even if Game Pass sees some sort of shift in vision or slowdown in new content in the next several years, it's going to stay the best deal in gaming. If things start slowing down in terms of new games coming to the service, Game Pass will still be a staggeringly excellent deal because of all the content that's already on it. Yes, games leave the service every month, but usually more games are added than removed, month-to-month. Even if every game was taken away, save for the Xbox Game Studios games, there would still be a shocking amount of quality content available.
From AAAs to indies, Game Pass has something for everyone as it is right now, so anything else coming to it will just be an added bonus. If Microsoft announced that no new games would be coming to the service effective immediately, Game Pass would still be the best deal based on its current library. The only way for its status as "the best deal in gaming" to be in contest would be if another company were to try their hand at a comparable subscription service which isn't totally out of the question when looking at Sony and Nintendo. If another company were to overtake Microsoft for that title, it most likely wouldn't be for another several years as the Game Pass lineup is looking stronger than ever through 2022 and beyond.
At the end of the day, however, if other companies were to try and take advantage of the potential slowing down of Game Pass several years down the line, it would just mean more, high-quality services available to the gaming enthusiasts of the world which isn't a bad thing. No matter what the future of Xbox Game Pass holds, it's likely going to stay the best deal in gaming and if not, it's still going to be an incredible deal.
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