Microsoft dropped a bombshell this week, announcing that their Xbox Game Pass subscription would allow subscribers access to first-party games on release day. Austrian retailer Gameware took this very hard and is refusing to sell the Xbox One after the announcement. From their point of view, it’s pointless to sell Xbox products because their new Game Pass announcement will cut into software sales. They have gone as far as saying they “don’t understand why one should still sell Microsoft consoles.” They have de-listed everything related to Xbox on their website.
While Microsoft’s Game Pass decision is great for gamers, it’s not for retailers. Now players will be able to try out new first-party games before buying them, or possibly not buying them all together if they don’t cancel their Game Pass subscription. The subscription for Xbox Game Pass is going to be sold for $59.99 and the library of available games is very strong.
“As part of today’s library expansion, we are also pleased to announce that we are working closely with our retail partners, such as GameStop, to offer a 6-month Xbox Game Pass subscription card for those fans who look for a variety of ways to purchase and enjoy new games and services. The 6-month Xbox Game Pass subscription card will be available at select retail partners for $59.99 beginning March 20.”
Retailers may be upset about this, but the winners here are consumers. This is a very smart decision by Microsoft and it cuts out the middleman. I prefer physical copies of games, but access to new games would allow me to try them out before purchasing, which is fantastic. Microsoft is doing something very smart here.