Xbox Game Pass Standard Tier: A Closer Look
Recently, Xbox Game Pass unveiled its revised Standard tier, which omits several games, including both new releases and older titles. This move has sparked considerable debate, particularly following Microsoft’s controversial price increase for the Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Despite previous assurances that prices would remain stable, the introduction of the Standard tier aimed to placate dissatisfied subscribers. However, the offering appears less appealing than anticipated.
Missing Titles in the Standard Tier
According to Forbes, the Standard tier of Xbox Game Pass excludes not only Day-One releases but also several games released over a year ago. Here is a list of some of the notable omissions:
– Age of Mythology: Retold Standard Edition
– Another Crab’s Treasure
– Botany Manor
– Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
– Core Keeper
– Creatures of Ava
– Diablo 4
– Dungeons Of Hinterberg
– Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
– Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
– Flock
– Forza Motorsport
– Galacticare
– Go Mecha Ball
– Harold Halibut
– Hauntii
– Heavy Weapon
– Humanity
– Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
– Little Kitty, Big City
– Magical Delicacy
– MLB: The Show 24
– Neon White
– Octopath Traveler 2
– Open Roads
– Payday 3
– PlateUp!
– Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders
– Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends
– Sea of Solitude
– Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
– Slime Rancher 2
– SpiderHeck
– Star Trucker
– Starfield
– Still Wakes the Deep
– Tchia
– The Case of the Golden Idol
– The Rewinder
– Turnip Boy Robs a Bank
– You Suck at Parking Complete Edition
While it makes sense for newer games like Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 to be missing, the absence of titles like Starfield, released in September 2023, and the older Neon White is puzzling.
Fan Discontent with Game Pass Standard
The Role of Call of Duty in the Controversy
Once lauded as “the best deal in gaming,” Xbox Game Pass is now facing criticism. The dissatisfaction stems from Xbox’s decision to increase subscription costs shortly after announcing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 as a Day-One release. Many suspect this move is designed to pressure users into upgrading to a more expensive tier to access such high-demand titles.
Subscribers who chose the Standard tier understood it would exclude Day-One releases. Nevertheless, the unexpected exclusion of numerous older games has intensified user frustration. Microsoft previously indicated that Standard subscribers might wait approximately a year to access former Day-One releases. However, the absence of even older games is causing unrest among the community. As of now, Xbox has yet to address the controversy, but a response is anticipated soon.
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Broader Challenges for Xbox and Microsoft
The pricing issues surrounding Xbox Game Pass are just one of many challenges Microsoft has faced in 2024. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that several first-party Xbox games would be available on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. This was followed by the closure of well-loved studios like Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. These decisions have fueled community frustration, leaving many to question Microsoft’s strategic direction for the Xbox brand.
Source: Forbes
