It's starting to feel like Xbox and Microsoft have some sort of long-term plan in the works, but what could that be and what is their eventual goal?
As the arrival of the next generation of gaming rapidly approaches, the differing philosophies between the Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5 couldn't be any clearer. While Sony has continued to press forward with its incredible lineup of first party games, Microsoft has placed a much stronger emphasis on its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Microsoft's entire message in recent months has been less focused on which platform players are on and more concentrated on maintaining a subscription to Xbox Game Pass. With so many options between the versions of Xbox and PC, Microsoft's clear intention is to get players subscribed to Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass has very quickly become one of the greatest values in gaming. By offering games through a streaming service, Microsoft immediately grants subscribers access to over 100 games, including some brand-new titles as they launch. Microsoft continues to reinforce Xbox Game Pass by including Xbox Live, the upcoming addition of EA Play, and the many titles included in the recent acquisition of ZeniMax Media. Microsoft has channeled its efforts towards bolstering Xbox Game Pass, rather than just selling consumers on their flashy new console, and it's almost becoming too good of a value for players to pass up.
At this stage, it's hard not to feel like Microsoft has some sort of master plan in mind for Xbox Game Pass. Earlier this year, rumors were circulating that Microsoft was looking into bringing Xbox Game Pass to the Nintendo Switch, and while Phil Spencer did deny that, it's hard to believe anything is off the table given the events of this past week. Of course, Microsoft wants players to buy a new Xbox. However, if Microsoft is truly focused on building up Xbox Game Pass and less concerned with a player's platform of choice, then the idea of bringing the service to other platforms is something that has to be considered a possibility.
Prior to this week, Microsoft didn't have the ammunition to bring Xbox Game Pass to PlayStation, and they still don't. But with the purchase of ZeniMax and the acquisition of Bethesda, Microsoft now has a very strong starting position. The Elder Scrolls and Fallout are two massively popular franchises that are incredibly profitable and in all likelihood, these games are going to become exclusives for Xbox. But what if they don't? What if Microsoft extends an olive branch, so to speak, and allows two of their biggest first party IPs to be released on PlayStation? That could be the kind of action that opens the door just enough to get the conversation going between both parties.
Given the long history of console wars, just the idea of an Xbox product being offered on PlayStation is difficult to consider, and if something like Xbox Game Pass were to ever be offered on PlayStation, it would likely be (at least) another generation away. But given Microsoft's amount of resources, massive investment in ZeniMax Media, and clear push towards Xbox Game Pass, it's an interesting concept to think about. If Microsoft and Xbox do have some sort of long-term master plan for Xbox Game Pass, the acquisition of a massive studio like Bethesda could be just the first step in seeing that plan to fruition.
