Following the US Federal Trade Commission’s claim that Microsoft is offering a “degraded” Game Pass experience, Microsoft has responded, stating that this assertion poses potential consumer harm as warned by the FTC prior to the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
Microsoft disputes the FTC’s characterization, calling it “misleading” and “an inaccurate account of the facts.”
In recent news, Microsoft announced a price increase for PC Game Pass from $9.99, €9.99, or £7.99 per month to $11.99, €11.99, and £9.99. Additionally, they introduced a new ‘Standard tier’ for Xbox Game Pass for console players, which offers a lower price but does not include day-one access to new games. This change is what the FTC is referring to as a degraded experience.
Microsoft’s response letter argues against this characterization, stating that the discontinued Game Pass for Console offering did not include multiplayer functionality, which required an additional purchase of $9.99/month. The new Game Pass Ultimate will offer more value with day-and-date access to many new games, including the upcoming release of Call Of Duty.
Furthermore, Microsoft contests the FTC’s focus on potential competition harm from Call Of Duty being pulled from rival platforms, emphasizing that the game remains available to all. They also point out the success of PlayStation’s subscription service despite offering fewer new games day-and-date.
While I cannot provide legal commentary on this dispute, personally, I believe that a higher price or the absence of the day-and-date feature in Game Pass constitutes a degraded consumer experience. The inclusion of multiplayer in the lower tier does not fully offset this change, especially for PC gamers where multiplayer access is typically not subscription-gated.
