Will subscriptions like Game Pass kill game purchasing?

In recent years, the video game market has changed significantly. Subscription services that offer access to a large library of games for a monthly fee are becoming increasingly popular. One of the most important platforms of this type is Xbox Game Pass from Microsoft. Other services such as PlayStation Plus and EA Play are also developing in a similar direction. With their growth, the question arises whether in the future players will stop buying games outright.

Convenience and access to a variety of games

The biggest advantage of subscriptions is access to a large number of games for one price. Instead of buying a single title, users can pay a monthly subscription and gain access to hundreds of productions. For many gamers, this means the ability to test different games without the risk of spending a large sum on a title that may not be to their liking. This subscription model works particularly well for those who enjoy frequently trying new productions.

Subscription services can also be attractive to game developers. Productions entering the catalogues of such services can reach millions of users who would likely not purchase them in a traditional way. For many smaller studios, presence in the Game Pass library can mean greater popularity and an additional source of funding.

Will buying games disappear

Despite the growing popularity of subscriptions, there is a lot to suggest that buying games will not completely disappear. Many of the biggest productions still sell very well in the classic sales model. Players often want to have their favourite titles permanently in their library rather than rely on whether a game will remain in a given subscription service. The most likely scenario is the coexistence of both models. Subscriptions can be a way to discover new games and play many productions without significant costs. Meanwhile, buying games will remain popular for the biggest releases and titles that players want to own.

Services like Xbox Game Pass are changing the way gamers enjoy video games, but that doesn't mean the end of traditional game buying. Subscriptions offer convenience and access to a large library of titles, yet for many gamers, owning a physical copy of a game still holds significant value. In the coming years, both models are likely to coexist and evolve together.

source: Own studies