I’ve been wanting Xbox Pass Ultimate “add-ons” for the longest. Like I swear I wrote this comment in one of the feedback Friday insider subreddit posts way back when Xbox bought Bethesda. I’d love to tack on an Eso plus subscription for 50% off and I’m sure others would love to do the same for Fallout 76 or WOW and those are just the games they own now. Like you said full Ubisoft+ bundled with GPU with a discount (even a modest one) would be amazing and they’d probably make more money from us. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate might be worth more now in terms of raw value, but like @Haven says that doesn’t translate to more actual value for everyone. Not everyone likes Fortnite or Ubisoft+ classics. I know they’re targeting general audiences, but they could have done the same and made people happier by offering optional add-ons.
I wonder where the Fortnite Crew thing comes from to be honest. Like, people who play Fortnite don’t need any Gamepass subscription since it’s a free to play, and Fortnite Crew by itself is much cheaper than GPU. Also, people who play these types of games usually don’t play that many other games.
So either there is something else at play here with EGS and MS in the long term, like some sort of Game Pass Integration with their store maybe, or their stats tell them people really wanted this and I am completely clueless lol
So this is the official statement from the Xbox Wire post: “We’re also welcoming major additions to the Ultimate experience. Starting November 18, Fortnite Crew – an $11.99/month value – will be included in Ultimate, with access to the Fortnite Battle Pass, 1,000 V-Bucks each month, and more. This is just the beginning of Xbox and Epic’s work together toward an open gaming ecosystem where friends can play and create together, anywhere, across devices. And today, Ubisoft+ Classics (valued at $7.99/month per platform) joins Ultimate, offering access to a curated selection of Ubisoft games playable on console, PC, and cloud, like Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and more.”
Ubisoft is just, hey that’s here now, but Fortnite gets a full extra sentence promising more. So there is a partnership here. I also have an idea that Xbox is wanting to pull in more casual gamers and basically stop them from just playing the free to Play games (which don’t even require paid online anymore). That’s what I’ve been thinking since they started to push “in game benefits in free to play games” as part of ultimate. But I’m more confused now because they can’t possibly think Fortnite gamers will go from paying $0 a month or $12 a month for a $12 subscription included in a massive $30 subscription. Like if GPU was still $20 (only $8 more than crew) then it’d be a good business strategy, but at EIGHTEEN dollars more? I don’t see why fortnite players would go for that. Like what real reason do they have to pay that much more if they truly only plan fortnite? If the goal is to wean fortnite only gamers off of fortnite only then they need to appeal to their price range.
Edit: Actually, Epic Game Store on console or deeper integration with Xbox Full Screen Mode/the App might be coming from that wording. I remember people saying that Phil never mentioned Steam when he talked about more storefronts on Xbox, but he DID mention Epic. Of course this is getting very tinfoil hat, so who knows?
PC on Xbox is going to start with beta exclusive to GPU subs 
Fortnite is big on console and Mobile, my guess is this is a play for the PC. The rumor is Xbox will be partnering to release an Xbox PC next year much like the Xbox Ally and that will usher in the Xbox full screen for PC. When that happens, Xbox would probably like to dominate or be the DeFacto platform for PC. If they can get Fortnite, COD and the rest to be just as big on PC as they are on console and mobile that will be a big win for them. More and more they are uniting their platforms and driving everything to windows.
I am kind of wondering if Gamepass PC could become available on EGS. Like MS gets Epic’s subscription rolled into GPU, and in exchange, Epic adds Gamepass to EGS and sells it to its customer base. Maybe even a Game Pass PC + Fortnite Crew bundle. We all know that EGS doesn’t sell as many games as Steam, so maybe this could be a play to get a lot of people unto their store. That with Xbox Fullscreen Experience integration could be interesting! You could be in the Xbox PC App or EGS ecosystem if you wanted to, but with either you could basically get the same services, making it more open than ever before.
People - no, Techies driven by nostalgia - yes. They are ignoring all the downgrades made for to it too.
One thing is clear today Game pass has become bigger than ever. When politicians, Governors big influencers and other companies are using it to gain some form of notoriety. This is one of the first time I’m seeing Game pass trending in the big millions on every social media. Certainly, this is a big chance for Xbox to imprint itself in a good way to as many as possible, they can capitalize on all this outrage wave.
Funny thing though is none of Xbox games are on Epic store. Xbox has only ever supported the Steam store and their own stores. The Xbox full screen is already becoming Defacto for handhelds even while in Beta. Getting the Xbox PC store to be the premier or Defacto PC store is in my opinion the play now.
Sounds like they’re rethinking things. They’re probably discussing with Epic and Ubisoft on probably a different way to roll this out.
Oh wow. This is a huge opportunity if they can figure out the spin.
Aha same, all the ‘exciting’ additions for my circumstances is just laughable
Even if this was a tell that they’re rethinking things, I already decided on my path forward: 0 gaming expenses until next gen (got to save up to afford it).
With the exception of a controller(3rd party) if mine gets issues between now and when they launch their next Xbox and I’m able to buy it.
Bring the Xbox published day one titles to Premium. This will give subscribers an option to switch instead of quit.
Realistically they are not going to rollback the price hike or the changes.
They don’t need to just offer them as new tiers. No one was complaining about Game Pass offering.
Yup. Like keep COD and all 3rd party Day 1 games in Ultimate. Or do like 25+ Day 1 games in premium and 75+ Day 1 games in Ultimate.
New tiers, or make ultimate customizable, or even just throw in yearly sub options that give discounts (like 12 months of Ultimate for $300 or $250 (actually yeah they could do $80 for a year of essential, $150 for a year of premium, and $250 for a year of Ultimate, they’re still making more money, they commit gamers to a yearly sub and not stacking, and it looks way cheaper).
Xbox has options to spin this really bad press into a hard W that makes them looks like our besties while still making more money off of us. Like business wise, it’d be nonsensical to not walk this back and leverage it at least a little. They’ve gotten a LOT of buzz, like more than Xbox normally ever gets. Most the people talking probably don’t subscribe to any GP, or maybe even have an Xbox, and maybe even game on any console at all.
Agreed. The customizable option is the best route to me. I certainly hope they turn it around. They could use that W.
Liking the look of this game, thanks for the preview!
Loved Pizza Tycoon as a young teenager, creating pizzas, adding tables etc and sabotaging rival restaurants with rats (maybe can be a DLC to this game lol) - there’s been a few like it since but this looks closest to a spiritual successor…
Going to give that PC demo a try I think