Xbox Game Pass Makes Going Back to Online MMO Difficult

Devilgunman · Nov 20, 2018

With the new trailer of FFXIV Shadowbringers expansion, it makes me want to jump back to the game (stopped playing since Heavensword) but then I remembered that FFXIV has subscription fee, $12.99/month. That wasn't a problem few years ago but now my perspective of gaming service has changed thanks to Xbox Game Pass. I'm currently a Game Pass subscriber and the value of the Game Pass makes it hard for me to justify paying FFXIV subscription fee. At $9.99, I have access to more than 200-games library compared to $12.99 for one game. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand that I won't be getting the experience of playing FFXIV from any of 200 games on the game Pass (I dropped more than 2000 hours into FFXIV btw), but you can't argue that you're getting insane value from XB1 Game Pass.

Anyone ever has this thought in mind?

Starlatine · Nov 20, 2018

Gamepass made it harder to buy games for me but i'm not complaining

Regarding your MMO problem just get hooked on Path of Exile instead. Problem solved!

Deleted member 2254 · Nov 20, 2018

Yeah, posted something along these lines yesterday I think. Game Pass offers over 200 games (some brand new like Forza Horizon 4 as well) for 10 bucks a month (and there's constantly sales to get it for 50-70% of the actual price, in fact the most I paid for a 6 months period is 42 Euros)... it just can't be beaten by one game subscriptions anymore or episodic games on their own, methinks. MMOs don't offer as much content, but neither do single episodic games like Telltale stuff for example where to get all their games you'd spend more than a year of Game Pass would cost you with over 30 times the games it offers. It puts things into perspective like it happened with Spotify and Netflix: why bother buying single albums or movies for 20 Euros when you can get a month of near unlimited content for less? It still makes buying your favourite content viable, but takes away value from the "worth a try" products for sure.

Tetrinski · Nov 20, 2018

Yeah, it has certainly changed my habits for the better. Buy almost no games and instead of feeling bad about my backlog, I just try new games every week and play them for as long as I please. If you drop $70 on a game and don't beat it, it feels like wasted money. Gamepass removes that, you just focus on enjoying.

Also, I'm trying games that I wouldn't otherwise. Aven Colony was a great surprise, so was Dandara, and I hadn't heard of any beforehand. So overall I play more, enjoy it more and save money. Can't complain.

Shpeshal Nick · Nov 20, 2018

Between GamePass, Gold and Plus I almost don't buy games anymore.

Com_Raven · Nov 20, 2018

Not for me. The only consideration I take into account with my hobby purchases is whether I feel that the item I am about to buy will bring me enough joy to warrant the price. I think constantly comparing some abstract value between purchases doesn't make much sense. If I did, how could I ever justify spending money on a linear 15h SP game, when I can just buy games like Witcher 3 or AC Odyssey that give me 105-150h of game time for the same price? :p

Judge the value of what you want to buy and play, not that of other things. You want to play FF XIV? Do so, have fun, and enjoy Shadowbringers next year!

nickfrancis86 · Nov 20, 2018

FFXIV is one of those games that you pretty much have to give 100% of your gaming time. I don't sub to it right now, but jump in every now and then and just buy a 30 day time card, or jump in for the free days they sometimes do. If it was half the price I'd probably consider it monthly.

crazillo · Nov 20, 2018

And you even get Elder Scrolls Online or The Division in the service. I rather abstain from MMOs these days myself, as I got to play so much other stuff.

Devilgunman · Nov 20, 2018

Com_Raven said:
Not for me. The only consideration I take into account with my hobby purchases is whether I feel that the item I am about to buy will bring me enough joy to warrant the price. I think constantly comparing some abstract value between purchases doesn't make much sense. If I did, how could I ever justify spending money on a linear 15h SP game, when I can just buy games like Witcher 3 or AC Odyssey that give me 105-150h of game time for the same price? :p

Judge the value of what you want to buy and play, not that of other things. You want to play FF XIV? Do so, have fun, and enjoy Shadowbringers next year!

Even from enjoyment perspective, it's still hard to justify. Like I said, I had no problem at all few years ago and actually I saved some money playing FFXIV since it's the only game I played and I stopped buying games because of that. I had a great time doing raids, grinding for loots, making in game money etc. For $12.99 a month it's totally worth it. But that's when there was no competition from the service like Game Pass. I'm sure I will have a great time again with FFXIV, but I'm also having an absolute blast trying games on the Game Pass, and for less money.

IIFloodyII · Nov 20, 2018

If I'm planning on playing a good Sub required MMO I'm probably playing nothing but it for awhile, so I wouldn't really factor in anything else or compare, I certainly wouldn't keep another Sub going, which thankfully FF14 isn't locked behind on top. I likely never will get into something like WoW or FF14 again due to that though, just too much of a commitment.

Meccs · Nov 20, 2018

As a FFXIV player I never thought about it that way. I kinda agree. For your 10 bucks you have access to 200 games BUT how many do you play seriously in that month? One, maybe two? You can't think "oh here I get 200 games and there I get only one".
I also think the server stuff on an MMO is more complicated and higher maintenance and therefore more expensive than keeping the Forza 4 servers rolling.
But I get what you are saying, it's blurring the lines a bit.

kurahador · Nov 20, 2018

You could just sub one at a time. I sub to FFXIV for like 3 months straight at most, play other games for a few weeks/months and then return to it when there's a new update or I got an itch for it.

Deleted member 18161 · Nov 20, 2018

Every time I go to buy a game that's been out for a while I always stop myself with the thought "it will come to Game Pass soon enough".

Lukas Taves · Nov 20, 2018

Shpeshal Ed said:
Between GamePass, Gold and Plus I almost don't buy games anymore.

I'm still buying a lot, and I also subscribe to EA access, but my buying habits surely changed. I only buy at launch games that I am absolutely hyped to play, otherwise just wait for super deep promos or for it to make it into one of the subs.

Hamster Plugin · Nov 20, 2018

Keep in mind that with Game Pass, you're on an Xbox console and you need to pay an additional $60 per year to play the games online.

FF XIV is a fully online game but does not require any extra online fees (Plus not required on Playstation)

TechnicPuppet · Nov 20, 2018

Meccs said:
As a FFXIV player I never thought about it that way. I kinda agree. For your 10 bucks you have access to 200 games BUT how many do you play seriously in that month? One, maybe two? You can't think "oh here I get 200 games and there I get only one".
I also think the server stuff on an MMO is more complicated and higher maintenance and therefore more expensive than keeping the Forza 4 servers rolling.
But I get what you are saying, it's blurring the lines a bit.

There are games on gamepass you could put all your time into though no bother.

FiXalaS · Nov 20, 2018

I spent close to 200 hours in 2 months for XIV, had amazing time with friends.

during those 2 months I wouldn't have bought or played any other game (not even in backlog)

Lucifonz · Nov 20, 2018

Paying monthly to play a single online game seems grossly archaic in the modern climate.

elenarie · Nov 20, 2018

Single game subscriptions are generally a thing of the past. Some remnants still remain here and there, but you won't see much new traction on that front anymore.

That being said, if people want to / find value in, they will continue paying, regardless if that means that they only get access to a single game.
Been subscribed to WoW for a decade+ now, even if I don't raid or PvP heavily anymore, I don't see myself dropping that sub anytime soon.

Shpeshal Nick · Nov 20, 2018

Lukas Taves said:
I'm still buying a lot, and I also subscribe to EA access, but my buying habits surely changed. I only buy at launch games that I am absolutely hyped to play, otherwise just wait for super deep promos or for it to make it into one of the subs.

Ok. Yeah. I should have clarified. I do this. I basically don't buy new. I wait for deep discounts.

AbandonedTrolley · Nov 20, 2018

I still pay for my ESO subscription, it's that which is holding me from going back to FF tbh. Maybe I will switch once my current membership expires though.

Devilgunman · Nov 20, 2018

Hamster Plugin said:
Keep in mind that with Game Pass, you're on an Xbox console and you need to pay an additional $60 per year to play the games online.

FF XIV is a fully online game but does not require any extra online fees (Plus not required on Playstation)

Well, I don't play online so I don't need to pay $60 for XBL. The Game Pass is still incredible value without online MP.

Meccs said:
As a FFXIV player I never thought about it that way. I kinda agree. For your 10 bucks you have access to 200 games BUT how many do you play seriously in that month? One, maybe two? You can't think "oh here I get 200 games and there I get only one".

That's really a beauty of the Game Pass, though. I don't really stick with one game for too long. I just play a game 5-10 hours, if it doesn't hook me in then I just move on to the next.

Andi · Nov 20, 2018

Man I wish they would change FFXIV to a F2P model like ESO-Online.
I know it won't happen but for me that is the only way that I would really want to play the game.
I tried it once and enjoyed it but my Lifestyle does not allow for a game that Needs a monthly subsection model.

Liliana · Nov 20, 2018

Agreed, OP. I posted this before but the value from Game Pass is reaching astronomical levels, and I'm not one for hyperbole. I got 3 months for $10 two times in a row; that's $20 for 6 months, and I can't keep up with constant games added to my backlog because of it. I've even set up a schedule; games usually leave the service around a year after they come on it so I try to complete those games first (you can get an estimate of what is leaving by seeing what came to Game Pass exactly one year ago).

There is a plethora of gems I would have never played without Game Pass. Then when you add in day-one AAA releases like Forza Horizon 4, it gets all sorts of ridiculous.

Combining this with all the new games releasing these past few months makes gaming with a backlog, and gamers who enjoy multiple genres, really difficult. I have so much shit to play that sometimes I sit there and can't even choose.

And it just keeps on stacking, with 8+ new releases per month. Just insane. I now hesitate buying games, especially digital only indies, because of it.

Best subscription I've ever seen, gaming or otherwise (I thought Amazon FreeTime would never be topped as it is also incredible value for my daughter).

Deleted member 268 · Nov 20, 2018

Game Pass is the best thing to happen this gen.

The amount of games on there that'd I would never have thought to buy but can now play and support through the service is fantastic.

GuitarGuruu · Nov 20, 2018

Speaking from a personal standpoint as someone who's played XIV since launch pretty regularly. Subbing to the game makes me mostly play only that, whether its raiding with my static, leveling, or just hanging out.

So in a way it's kind of similar as far as buying games go, the perceived value is different to say you and me though.

Devilgunman · Nov 20, 2018

Andi said:
Man I wish they would change FFXIV to a F2P model like ESO-Online.
I know it won't happen but for me that is the only way that I would really want to play the game.
I tried it once and enjoyed it but my Lifestyle does not allow for a game that Needs a monthly subsection model.

Man, I didn't realize ESO has f2p mode, and it is included in XB Game Pass. I might actually give it a try.

THEVOID · Nov 20, 2018

I haven't bought a 60 dollar game since GP.

EvilBoris · Nov 20, 2018

I was thinking about this yesterday, how PC games have had subscriptions for years before the consoles even went online, yet this is often neglected in conversation about monetisation

Musubi · Nov 20, 2018

I'd still rather sub to one game I know I'm going to play rather than have access to 200 that I don't even know that I care about.

Braaier · Nov 20, 2018

The problem with Game Pass is it's too good.

Zelas · Nov 20, 2018

I always felt the tug between deep diving in an mmo vs actually enjoying several options. Gamefly was always a good option for me so I was motivated more by not wanting to live in a bubble.

Xbox Game Pass Makes Going Back to Online MMO Difficult

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