The highly anticipated launch of Starfield takes place in less than a week and as anticipation builds, Microsoft has made a significant move by discontinuing the Xbox Game Pass trial. As such, gamers will no longer be able to access the service for just $1. This decision being so close to Starfield’s launch is a change in strategy, and the end of an attractive offer that has been a gateway for many users to the large library of Xbox Game Pass titles.
With Starfield shaping up to be the newest, and potentially most important, addition to Xbox’s ecosystem of titles, Microsoft appears to be re-evaluating its approach to subscription model. Only time will tell how the company will refocus in other ways to engage and retain its fans.
Microsoft Closes Game Pass Testing Ahead of the Launch of Starfield
Around three weeks ago, Microsoft reintroduced its new shorter trial for Xbox Game Pass, after withdrawing the $1 offer in March. But alas not all good things last, and it appears the company isn’t feeling so generous anymore. The launch of the long-awaited Starfield approaches like a rocket seen from afar, which is fast but seems very slow, and with that, it was decided to remove any kind of test option from Xbox Game Pass.
Polish website XGP has detected that users can no longer try out the 14 day trial of Xbox Game Pass for $1 as offered by Microsoft earlier this month. So, for now, anyone wanting to play Starfield via the Xbox subscription service will have to pay full price for at least one month. While disappointing, a month’s access to Starfield for $10.99 or £8.99 is still a bargain considering prices in the gaming market these days. The standard version of Starfield is £59.99 or $69.99 just for the base game, which means there will certainly be a few gamers not willing to pay that much at launch.
This daring attitude on the part of Microsoft is not exactly surprising, since it forces players to no longer save 90% of the current price that they had been able to attain before. Companies of this size only care about the profit they receive from general sales. These types of entities usually seem not to care about the comfort of gamers who might have been attracted by the now-exterminated offer.
As always, we cannot generalize, of course. There can be good intentions towards the fans even in large companies like Microsoft, but with decisions being taken only by the board of executives who value money above all else, it is difficult for any grassroots initiative to have some kind of longevity in the market.
Related: Starfield Doesn’t Have a Level Cap, According to Bethesda’s Pete Hines
And with Starfield‘s size, it’s difficult to fully enjoy it in just one month, since the game promises to have a massively explorable galaxy that can take 150 hours or much more according to Bethesda’s Head of Publishing, Pete Hines. So it’s up to each interested player to navigate the launch space if it’s worth the $10.99 or £8.99 each month or the full price of the title.
What do you think? Were you planning to try Starfield through Xbox Game Pass? Would you prefer to pay each month or guarantee the game outright? Let us know in the comments!
Source: XGP
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
