Launching all the way back in June 2017,Xbox Game Passhas well and truly earned the title of being “one of the best deals in gaming.” For the best part of a decade, Game Pass has continued to deliver exciting new indie games, long-anticipated third-party releases, and the latest first-party AAA titles day and date. WhenXbox Game Passfirst launched it was just $9.99 a month, but as the library has continued to grow, as has the service’s price tag.
Xbox Game Pass Might Still Work Out Cheaper Than The Alternative
$80 Games Are Becoming The Norm
In the last few years, there’s been a not-so-subtle price hike across the board for video games. AAA first-party titles quickly went from $60 to $70, and now we’re looking down the barrel of $80 being the new standard price for the top publishers' biggest games. Nintendo was one of the first to dip its toes into the water, withMario Kart Worldcharging $80for a standalone copy.
It didn’t take much time at all for Xbox to hop on the bandwagon, though. Immediately following therecent Xbox Showcase, Microsoft announced that Obsidian Entertainment’sThe Outer Worlds 2will be retailing for $80 when it launches this October. While Xbox hasn’t confirmed $80 price tags for any of its other upcoming games, it seems very likely thatThe Outer Worlds 2is just the first drop in a coming flood.
There are even rumors thatGrand Theft Auto 6could be the first game to charge $100, though that’s just hearsay at this point.
Xbox Game Pass' Value Would Remain Relative
Xbox Game Pass Offers More Than Just New Games
Getting to play $80 first-party Xbox games on day one for no extra charge would obviously be the primary appeal of Xbox Game Pass moving forward, but it’s far from the only thing the service would offer. Xbox is still dedicated to improving its backwards compatibility. The Xbox Cloud streaming service is growing more popular by the day thanks to faster internet speeds. AndXbox Play Anywhereis already a great benefit for those who play on Xbox consoles, PC, and handhelds.
Even with a price increase, Xbox Game Pass could still be worth the money.
