Xbox Is Budget Gaming Gold
When it comes to consuming an art form, it should not be reserved exclusively for people in working class or higher wage classes - and for that Phil Spencer, we salute you.
Published on June 2, 2025 by finn.exe
Listen, I know games preservation is a hot topic here lately. From AAA developers thinking live service games should be the only way forward, to online-only single player games that the servers can be taken down for at any moment, emulation developers and fan-game's being C&D'd and/or sued left and right - gamers who like to own things have a lot to be upset about, most notable recently is Nintendo updating the terms of service for the Nintendo Switch 2, where if you do anything they don't like with the console or it's software, they can BRICK YOUR UNIT (a pretty harsh change from just deactivating your online account). Games as a service is something that comes up quite a bit during all of these points of not owning the games you play.
Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, EA and even Nintendo to a degree all have subscription services where you can play games on them like you watch shows on Netflix, with Microsoft specifically pushing for anyone, regardless of hardware, to be able to play their games just like you can watch your favorite episodes of Ouran High School Host Club on any device you own. While I think ownership is important so you can, ya know, play the games you own for as long as you live, and archiving game backups for future generations to enjoy after those games are no longer sold, I can't help but argue that Xbox Game Pass, a service is the fundamental opposite of those ideas, is inherently important to modern gaming, and that Xbox as a brand holds the line for budget gamers across the world.
Let me give you an example here. You are a teenager in a loving, working poor family. Your parents make ends meet, and that's about it. You are a GAMER. You want to a platform to play on. PlayStation seems great, but the console starts at $499.00. Nintendo makes incredible, innovative and fun games. The new Switch 2 starts at $449. You want to get into PC gaming, but a gaming laptop or desktop is certainly out of the question, and the 512GB Steam Deck is a staggering $549.00. But who is that you see up to street? Is that good guy Phil Spencer, holding a shockingly small white box to the heavens, with a baller electrum chain hanging from his neck that reads $379.00? Wow, and the console supports 1440p gaming? Well that will certainly run great on your 1080p TV in your room! Now what do you do about games? Your parents scrounged up enough money to buy the console itself, but $400 bucks is about the total budget for this gift that they have saved for months over months to get you. Game Pass Ultimate comes included with the console for 14 days, and your parents, although they can't give you a new $40-70 game every month, can certainly commit to a $20 allowance a month for you to get Game Pass Ultimate. Now, this is epic. You can get a revolving catalog of absolute bangers, from new Microsoft Studio titles day one, to games like Metaphor Refantazio, Clair Obscure Expeditions 33, and even some Xbox and Xbox 360 classics! Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad! Most importantly, thanks good guy Phil Spencer!
This example, although hyper specific, can translate to many other areas. Hell, if you can't afford a console but you have good internet and a beat up old laptop or a semi-modern smart phone and a controller, you can play the Game Pass library via cloud streaming, and it even works via cloud streaming on the Xbox One, which you can find for very cheap second-hand nowadays. If you live in an area with poor internet service but can save up over time, the cost of entrance is significantly lower than the competition.
Listen, I agree, we shouldn't allow companies like Ubisoft and EA to let their all digital, consumer-rights destroying plans come to fruition - But it is undeniable that Microsoft is the company who is holding the line for gamers who aren't as well off as others, and a god-send for people who can't afford the newest games every month, but can scrape up enough dosh for a Game Pass subscription and still get to see whats new, what's old, what's hot, and what's not. When it comes to consuming an art form, it should not be reserved exclusively for people in working class and higher wage classes - and for that Phil Spencer, we salute you. But maybe not for all of the other stuff Xbox is doing. I am still upset about Hi-Fi Rush.
