Press Start: The Pull to Xbox Is Getting Stronger

I can sense that Xbox and Microsoft are pulling in more people over the last few days. Their acquisition of Bethesda is a huge exclamation point on the already strong next-gen messaging they've had over the last few months.

While it remains to be seen how Microsoft will utilize Bethesda now that the studio is under Xbox's umbrella, the acquisition has definitely made an impression on gamers. Skyrim was one of the biggest success stories of the 360/PS3 generation, so much so that it's seen countless ports to various platforms throughout this generation. If Microsoft were to make Elder Scrolls VI exclusive to Xbox, that would be a huge deal to a big portion of gamers.

Even if some Bethesda titles still come to PlayStation, players will still have to spend $70 to experience each game on Sony's next-gen console. On Xbox, Game Pass will provide day one access to these titles as part of the subscription, which is a big win for players on the fence about these titles who don't want to pay full price.

... it's a really enticing option to pick up a Series S and a Game Pass subscription to experience third-party titles.

In fact, that's how I'm feeling about much of the next generation. There are many PlayStation exclusives I know I will care about playing down the line. Studios like Naughty Dog and Insomniac are what keep me in the PlayStation ecosystem. But for third-party games I'm on the fence about, I likely won't drop $70 on launch to pick them up. If those same titles come to Game Pass at some point, it's a really enticing option to pick up a Series S and a Game Pass subscription to experience third-party titles.

Really, besides the Halo Infinite delay, Microsoft's lead up to the launch of the Xbox Series S and X has been very successful. I think this generation will be much closer in sales numbers compared to the Xbox One/PS4 generation, which is a good thing. Healthy competition can breed bold moves, exciting announcements, and healthy ecosystems for players.

We're less than two months away from the start of next-gen, and I can't wait to see how the launches go.