Hell, Microsoft and Apple did the same thing decades ago. Microsoft offered computer discounts to high schools and colleges, so that the students would be used to (and demand) Microsoft when they went into the business world. Apple then undercut that by offering very discounted products to elementary and junior high schools, so that the students would want Apple products in higher education and the business world.
The tactic let them write off all the discounts on their taxes, but lock in customers and raise prices on business (and eventually consumer) goods.
ThunderWhiskers@lemmy.world 1 day ago
We watched this exact same tactic happen with Xbox gamepass over the last 5 years. They introduced it and left in the capability to purchase the “upgrade” for $1/year. Now they are suddenly cranking it up to $30/month and people are still paying it because they feel like it’s a service they “have to have”.
arrow74@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Which is why I’ve dropped it myself. Not worth the price.
moakley@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I’m usually too lazy when it comes to canceling things, but I canceled Game Pass right away. $30 per month is just offensive.
ThunderWhiskers@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Agreed
WhiteOakBayou@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Is it $30/month on top of Xbox gold or does the game pass include it?
redditmademedoit@piefed.zip 1 day ago
It’s included, but good lord if that’s not a very high price for temporary access to a collection of bargain bin games. You could buy a full price game every other month for that money.
Wildmimic@anarchist.nexus 1 day ago
or 3-6 indies on sale - hell if you save up that money you can go nuts every steam/gog same, 360$ should get you around 1k$ games retail price upwards if you are a patient gamer
ThunderWhiskers@lemmy.world 1 day ago
On top of that, I have personally developed some gaming habits that I don’t care for at all as a direct result of gamepass.
tenacious_mucus@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Gold doesn’t exist anymore. Now it’s game pass core or something…the rate went up with that “migration”. You do get access to a few “free” games with core, but you gotta pay way more to have the full deal. I think core is $70/yr now?
Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
This recent massive price hike (it fucking doubled) is what got me to cancel my live, completely.
I’ve been subscribed since 2002, when it first released. So their greed lost a sure stream of income. I’m not alone.
Feyd@programming.dev 1 day ago
Small sample but everyone i know dropped it on the increase to 30 bucks. One of them had been primarily playing PlayStation and xbox for the last decade but has gotten and primarily plays steam deck now.
DamienGramatacus@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Textbook example of enshittification.
msage@programming.dev 18 hours ago
Renting is always going to end up the same way.
I get that users think they get much value for low money, but it’s always bait and switch.
Sure (statistically) nobody cares, though.