Microsoft Confident That Xbox Game Pass Will Be Good For Retailers

There’s always a risk when you decide to launch a brand new idea for your established customer base. Cause there’s a risk that they won’t like it. However, there’s also a risk when it comes to those who sell your things because they’re just as important. Last June, Microsoft launched Xbox Game Pass, a service that would allow players access to 100+ games (to start) for one low price. It was a good deal. However, recently, Microsoft decided that they would be doing same-day releases on the Pass, which was not cool for some retailers.

After all, if a major 1st party game (Sea of Thieves, Crackdown 3, and State Of Decay are confirmed for first-day release on Xbox Game Pass) is available via the pass, and the pass is cheaper than going to to the store and buying it, why go to the store? Some have stated that this is not good for retailers, especially indie stores. But Microsoft still feels confident that this will benefit everyone:

“The response to the news thus far has been positive,” a spokesperson tells GamesIndustry.biz. “As we noted in our announcement, our plan is to offer ways for select retailers to assort and promote Game Pass.”

You can understand both points of view here, and there’s no doubt that not everyone will go straight for the Xbox Game Pass when the same-day upgrade comes. But, it is a thing that makes you wonder. Microsoft says that they have gotten a breadth of good feedback from stores across the country, and moreso, should something go wrong, they’re willing to fix it:

“We welcome feedback on our plans, and will continue to evolve our plans as appropriate.”

It’s going to be interesting to see how this unfolds, not just for sales in stores, but how it affects things like Xbox Live and other such services.