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Why do I have this strange feeling of 'guilt' playing games on GamePass? (Devs/pubs help me out)

MauroNL

MauroNL

What Are Ya' Buying?
Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,253
The Netherlands
Okay so this might sound weird or stupid to some of you but I find myself catching some weird feelings of guilt for playing games on GamePass, or any subscription based service for that matter. I can't pinpoint it exactly but I think it comes down to me feeling like I'm not actually giving money to the developers/publishers for playing it this way.

I've been a 'physical' man my whole life and this whole subscription/streaming world is not really my thing. I've gotten used to it with music now but I still buy blu-rays and barely use Netflix. Games is a whole different beast. I used to buy games physical but lately have been switching to buying digital which is great. I still get to directly give my money to the devs and pubs.

Now playing some games on GP it kinda feels like I'm sort of stealing or something? I'm not giving any money to the devs and pubs this way, but if I bought the game I would have. Is this a misconception though?

Devs out there, do you earn as much from me playing your game on GamePass as opposed to buying it directly?
 
finalflame

finalflame

Product Management
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,538
Publishers, and by extension the studios they work with, are getting paid for being on the service. No clue why you feel guilty.
 
ElBoxy

ElBoxy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,123
If you really feel an intense guilt, treat GP like a demo service and buy the game at full price when you have the money. Otherwise, you shouldn't feel guilty. They're getting paid upfront.
 
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Fat4all

Fat4all

Woke up, got a money tag, swears a lot
Member
Oct 25, 2017
92,529
here
the feeling prob just comes from not knowing how much of your subscription is going towards the dev you like, but i'd assume that if a dev is on gamepass then they are likely getting the proper support from your sub
 
Remark

Remark

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,542
Game Pass is actually the best version of these game sub services since devs/pubs are getting paid straight up rather than it being an engagement-based.

Wouldn't feel to guilty using it but if it really bothers you just use it to try out games and buy the one's you like.
 
bishoptl

bishoptl

Remember
Member
Oct 26, 2017
699
Vancouver
GamePass is actually one of the best, most fair ways to set up a subscription service. Devs are getting paid properly.

If you want to take issue, look at what Google is trying to do with their mobile gaming service - paying developers by minutes played. Absolute garbage.
 
gnexus

gnexus

Member
Mar 30, 2018
2,286
I use it as a demo service and sample a bunch of different games. If I really enjoy it and want to support the devs, then it's a buy for me. I mean, for the most part these games don't stay on there forever.
 
cgpartlow

cgpartlow

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,003
Seattle, WA
You should not feel guilty. I just listened to the Dev's of Afterparty on an interview with IGN saying Gamepass was the best thing to happen to Oxenfree their previous game, and they dove at the chance to put Afterparty on there. They get paid a sizable chuck upfront that makes it well worth it, and the word of mouth and increase in people playing the game acts like free advertising which actually leads to an increase in sales. Gamepass is particularly great for smaller independent developers at least from the word of mouth we have heard.
 
OP
OP
MauroNL

MauroNL

What Are Ya' Buying?
Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,253
The Netherlands
Toney J said:
You think MS gets to put studios' games on there for free?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Well, no I don't of course. But like how do they earn from it being on GP? Like a fixed fee, independent of how many times its downloaded/played? Or like an X amount for time played? If I paid like $20 for the game would they earn more from compared to 1 person playing it on GP?
 
ghibli99

ghibli99

Member
Oct 27, 2017
17,696
I buy the games I enjoy on that service. You get a discount. Outer Wilds was the first one. I upgraded to FH4 Ultimate because of GP too. It's the perfect model for me to try before I buy and is by far the best service of its kind IMO.
 
Rzarekta

Rzarekta

Banned
Nov 27, 2017
1,289
Why do I have this strange feeling that GamePass is the beginning of the end of high quality content that we're currently used to?
 

Deleted member 57990

User requested account closure
Banned
Jun 18, 2019
311
I know exactly what you mean, OP. I love Kingdom: New Lands, and it feels wrong that I haven't bought the sequel, Two Crowns, because I played it (and completely rinsed it) on Game Pass.

Next year's going to be the same - I adore Ori and the Blind Forest, and it's crazy that its sequel will just turn up on my hard drive without any money (other than my measly GP subscription) having changed hands.
 
Bugalugs214

Bugalugs214

Banned
Nov 26, 2017
1,686
If it was an issue with MS being stingy the big and small developers alike asking for their games to be put on there wouldn't be asking.
I'm sure they're all getting a fair lump of money for their games.
 
Paragraf

Paragraf

Member
May 31, 2019
532
Russia
MS is the only company losing money (you can replace MS with Netfix). I hope there's no need for me to explain how subscription services work.
 
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