Summary
- Microsoft is defending the changes and price increases coming to Xbox Game Pass.
- The company argues that the changes will provide "more value" to players.
- This is in response to the FTC calling the changes "product degradation".
Xbox has defended 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:controversial changes made to its 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Game Pass tiers, arg𒀰uing thaౠt the service will now "offer more value" to customers.
This is in response to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which recently criticise꧅d Xbox for the changes being made to Game Pass. These changes include increasing the price of two subscription types and completely removing another, replacing it with a tier th🐓at doesn't include day-one releases.
Thanks, Xbox, I'm Never Subscribing To Game Pass Again
Game Pass doesn’t live up to its USP of good value 𝓡for day one, first-party exclusives anymore.
When the changes kick in this September, Game Pass Ultimate's price tag will increase by $3 a month, and Game Pass for PC will go up by $2. Game Paꦏss for Console will cease to exist, replaced by Game Pass Standard, which costs $3 more. Despite the price increase from Standard to Console, it is losing features, lacking both day-one releases and cloud gaming.
These changes were described by the FTC as "product degradation". It also argues that the changes go against Xbox's claims that its merger with 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Activision Blizzard would "benefit consumers", especially since the Standard tier will be locked out of accessing 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 from day one.
Xbox Hits Back Against The FTC
Now, as reported by , Xbox ha▨s responded, refuting this characterisation of the new Game Pass offerings.
"It is wrong to🐽 call this a ‘degraded’ version of the discontinued Game Pass for Console offering," say🦩s Microsoft in its court filing. "That discontinued product did not offer multiplayer functionality, which had to be purchased separately for an additional $9.99/month (making the total cost $20.98/month)"
It is true that the new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier inc▨ludes online play, which Game Pass for Console did not. However, Standard still lacks day-one rel♊eases and cloud gaming, unlike the Console tier.
Xbox continues: "While Game Pass Ultimate’s price will increasඣe from $16.99 to $19.99/month, the service will offer more value through many new games available ‘day-and-date.’ Among them is the upcoming release of Call of Duty, which has never before been available on a subscription day-and-date.”
I𒈔n addition, Xbox argues that i🌟t is "common for businesses to change service offerings over time", justifying the price increases and tier changes.
Despite this defence, the changes being made to Game Pass have proven 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:unpopular with players, many of which have labelled the new tiers "confusing". There's also been an increase in custome🦂rs purchasing Gam🏅e Pass through the third-party code marketplace, CD Keys, in a bid to avoid the pricier tiers.
- Number of Accounts
- 🔯 1 Primary Account Holder
- Number of Devices Concurrently
- Five, with Friends & Family (in limited countries) 🐎 💖
Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's subscription service, offering hundreds of games for modern Xbox consoles and PC, all for a regular monthly fee.
