Xbox Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate now Includes EA Play! [XGP, GamePass]

Quick question as somebody new to Xbox consoles/Microsoft Store/GamePass. I tried adding my 3 months free GamePass trial code on my Xbox but I couldn't seem to get this to complete unless I also added a payment method. I switched to the web site which did allow me to add the code without a recurring payment method.

Is there some trick to this which isn't obvious?
 
They also have a branding problem. Playstation is generally viewed as catering to a wider audience.
Now that Japan seems to be ignoring Sony (gradually ever since the PS4), I don't see any difference in demographics between Xbox and Playstation.
Other than Xbox being clearly more oriented at US and UK than anything else.

Is there some trick to this which isn't obvious?
Not that I know of, but you can add a card and disable the auto-renew + delete the card from your account as soon as you start the trial.
In my country our banking system has a virtual card creator, that we use mostly for online shopping. Perhaps yours has one as well?
 
Check out GamePassCounter.com for a neat simple way to keep track the number & list of Game Pass games available. At the time of this posting they are showing...

411 Total Games
365 Console Games
311 PC Games
262 Cloud Games
93 EA Play Games
66 Touch Games
42 Coming Soon
5 Leaving Soon

It says 938 total games when you count console, PC & cloud versions, but there are duplicates between console, PC & cloud. So I guess 411 excludes the duplicates?

Tommy McClain
 
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Made you look! Battlefield 6!
 
Jefferey GrubbGrubb had a good article on the status of all those games that didn't follow-ups...

Right now, the following games are all expected to launch in 2023 for Microsoft:

  • Avowed
  • Fable
  • Perfect Dark
  • Everwilds
  • Hellblade 2
  • Contraband
  • InXile’s next game
  • Compulsion’s next game
  • The Coalition’s next non-Gears project

https://venturebeat.com/2021/06/13/...ere-games-like-avowed-perfect-dark-and-fable/

I was really surprised to hear about the Creative Director of Everwild leaving last fall & Rare had to reboot the direction of the game. He mentioned it a lot in his podcast review last night. Went back & found this article in Video Games Chronicle. Kind of a bummer. Wonder what is going to be now?

Tommy McClain
 
Well we never knew what it was before. :)

That's a really solid 2023 as well. If that list ships it'll be the year that GP becomes irresistible to another huge chunk of gamers.
 
Jefferey GrubbGrubb had a good article on the status of all those games that didn't follow-ups...



https://venturebeat.com/2021/06/13/...ere-games-like-avowed-perfect-dark-and-fable/

I was really surprised to hear about the Creative Director of Everwild leaving last fall & Rare had to reboot the direction of the game. He mentioned it a lot in his podcast review last night. Went back & found this article in Video Games Chronicle. Kind of a bummer. Wonder what is going to be now?

Tommy McClain


Eh
  • Avowed
  • Fable
Pick one of the above for 2023. My bet would be Avowed then 2024 TES and then 2025 Fable. Fable is the earliest in development
  • Perfect Dark
The above will most likely be with Fable in 2025 its really early
  • Everwilds
Dev hell , maybe 2024 now ?
  • Hellblade 2
Most likely next year

  • Contraband
2024 most likely
  • InXile’s next game
2026

Feels odd to start putting 2025/6 on time targets lol
 
Eh
  • Avowed
  • Fable
Pick one of the above for 2023. My bet would be Avowed then 2024 TES and then 2025 Fable. Fable is the earliest in development
  • Perfect Dark
The above will most likely be with Fable in 2025 its really early
  • Everwilds
Dev hell , maybe 2024 now ?
  • Hellblade 2
Most likely next year

  • Contraband
2024 most likely
  • InXile’s next game
2026

Feels odd to start putting 2025/6 on time targets lol

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/why-wasnt-everwild-at-e3-its-been-completely-rebooted/

Everwild seems to be 2024.
 
So, I'm going to just stick this here since I don't feel like creating an NPD thread (don't have the time) and the main reason I wanted to post it was how April 2021's NPD report relates to some discussions about Game Pass' effect on game sales.

April 2021 NPD: Returnal, MLB, and Pokémon maintain momentum for game sales | VentureBeat

MLB: The Show 21
But Sony isn’t only about PlayStation games these days. The company’s MLB: The Show 21 launched on PlayStation and Xbox, and that led to record-setting sales for the franchise.

“MLB: The Show 21 debuted as both the best-selling game of April 2021 as well as the 3rd best-selling game of 2021 year to date,” said Piscatella. “Launch-month dollar sales of MLB The Show 21 set a new franchise high. MLB: The Show 21 was the best-selling game of the month on PlayStation platforms, and ranked second on Xbox [without digital Xbox sales].”

And that's with MLB: The Show 21 not including digital sales on Xbox, so it's possible it might have been #1 there as well.

And that's also with MLB: The Show 21 being included in Game Pass at launch ... and setting new records for sales.

So, I'd contend that as with Microsoft 1st Party titles that are on GP at launch, it being on GP didn't hurt sales. But I'm sure there will still be people that think it would have sold even better if it weren't on GP. :p However, much like MS' experience with putting their 1st party titles on GP at launch, it might have led to greater than predicted sales on Xbox.

Regards,
SB
 
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