Subscription Service Guild Wars Will Start? Sony pushed "Spartacus" to balance Microsoft XGP

Source of this article: Time Weekly Author: Jia Jianliang

For the exploration of subscription services, Sony has not stopped.

Following Bloomberg's revelations, Sony is planning to launch a subscription service codenamed "Spartacus (hereinafter referred to as Spartacus)", similar to Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription service (hereinafter referred to as "XGP"), recently, industry insider Jeff Grubb revealed more details in its radio show, Sony has pushed PlayStationPlus and PlayStationNow subscription service, both of which will be merged into the new subscription service. At the same time, PlayStationPlus may be retained, but "phased out" PlayStationNow.

Jeff Grubb further explained that "Spartacus" is divided into three different price points: the $10 basic version, which basically has the same content as PlayStation Plus; the $13 enhanced version, which will provide 250-300 games, all games on PlayStationNow can be downloaded, but there is no streaming service; the $16 Platinum edition, which includes all of the above two, with the addition of classic games, Streaming services and game trials.

"Spartacus service will enter beta in the coming weeks, and Sony may officially announce the service and more details in March." Jeff Grubb said.

On February 26, 2022, the Times Weekly reporter contacted the relevant person in charge of Sony Interactive Entertainment on this matter, and as of press time, no relevant reply has been received.

But for the above Sony's new subscription service news, some gamers did not buy it.

Under the related blog posts of Sina Weibo well-known game blogger "Nomad Starry Sky" and "Two Handle APP", netizens @LynExiaa dissatisfied, "cut leeks in another way", netizens @Peterjunjun123 comments, "the quality of the monthly will be free, you can not do it", netizens @ idle people flashed away I want to add push la said, "Cold rice package, players who have feelings for old games may be welcome, play new games or next door (Microsoft XGP) is more appropriate."

(Screenshot of Sina Weibo)

Back in 2017, Microsoft launched a similar service , the XGP game subscription service. Players can rent access to more than 100 digital versions of the game for $10 per month and enjoy discounts on game purchases at varying degrees.

One of the biggest selling points of Microsoft XGP is that all Microsoft first-party games add XGP on their debut day. But according to Jeff Grubb, Sony doesn't seem to be following suit.

Game industry commentator Zhang Shule told the Times Weekly reporter that although all Microsoft first-party games will join XGP on the first day of launch, even if exclusive, in terms of quantity and quality, compared with Sony's larger first-party and exclusive games, it is not an order of magnitude.

"Sony's push of Spartacus' new subscription service is a check and balance on Microsoft's XGP game subscription service." Zhang Shule said.

Game giant "Inner Volume"

On January 18 this year, Microsoft announced that it would acquire Activision Blizzard for $95 per share, an all-cash transaction worth a total of $68.7 billion, making it the largest acquisition in the history of gaming. Sony followed, announcing on Jan. 31 that it intended to buy Bungie, the developer of the Halo and Destiny games, for $3.6 billion.

Through "buying, buying and buying", the strength of the two giants has intensified, and according to public data, Microsoft will have more than 30 studios after incorporating Activision Blizzard. After Sony's massive acquisition of 5 game studios last year, the total number is only 17.

Last year, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan said publicly in an interview with the media outlet Nikkei, "We have been quiet, but steadily investing in high-quality games for PlayStation, and we will ensure that the PS5 has more exclusive content than ever before." ”

In addition to the acquisition incident, Sony has also shifted its focus from game content to content services.

In early January, Sony informed UK retailers that they could no longer sell PlayStation Now cards (a fixed subscription period that can be used to purchase the company's game streaming and download services) in stores from January 21. According to industry analysts, the removal of the PlayStationNow gift card is Sony's preparation for the launch of a new subscription service.

Recently, news about Sony's new subscription service has further surfaced. Earlier this year, Phil Spencer, the head of the Xbox division, said in an interview with foreign media that he and the Xbox team believe that it is inevitable to compete with Sony PS in terms of game subscription services.

"But for Xbox, what's needed is to continue innovating and competing. At present, XGP still maintains a leading position in the industry, but this is not something that others cannot imitate. Phil Spencer said.

Zhang Shule commented that after Microsoft's acquisition of Blizzard, Sony uncompromisingly acquired Bungie, the developer of the "Halo" and "Destiny" series of games, but it was obviously not enough to benchmark the (Microsoft) model, and Sony needed to have a direct and rapid crushing situation in content services. "Sony has a richer library of games, and if it launches a positioning at the same price as Microsoft XGP, it can form a targeted crush."

Gao Qianfeng, founder and chief analyst of China Entertainment Think Tank, told reporters, "Sony launched the 'Spartacus' service, the core is still rich product pricing, so that consumers have more choices, while optimizing the previous price system, and better competition with Microsoft." ”

Subscription service "Guild Wars"

Whether it's Microsoft's XGP or Sony's "Spartacus" in preparation, it is aimed at game subscription services.

According to public data, the total number of Sony PlayStation Plus subscribers is currently about 47.2 million, and the number of Microsoft XGP subscribers is more than 25 million.

For game subscription services, in Zhang Shule's view, for host game companies, subscription services are mainly aimed at hard-core iron powder, which is the most basic consumer group when each round of next-generation game consoles is launched, and it is also the most basic stock of game revenue on its platform.

"The retention brought about by strong offers, coupled with the saving and richer game experience that is different from the payment of a single game, can constitute the stability of the basic consumption of the game console and its onboard games, which belongs to the 'iron ticket warehouse'." Zhang Shule said.

For Sony and Microsoft, how to only grasp their own "iron powder" and let more marginal users convert to iron powder is the top priority to measure their future development.

As for how long the "fierce battle" of game subscription services will last in the future, Zhang Shule believes that Sony is only an early check and balance, because it is easy to fall into a price war by relying only on preferential remuneration, for the game console platform, differentiated game experience and exclusive game content, super sticky attraction to users, is the core.

"So the experience innovation (platform layer), the quality and quantity (content) of self-developed games and exclusive games for next-generation consoles is the key to competition." Zhang Shule said that such business is cheaper than buying games separately, and at the same time, the playing style of free or irregular top games for a limited time can form a long-term payment and have a strong effect on user stickiness.

Talking about the advantages of game subscription service, Gao Qianfeng believes that the service provides opportunities for more consumers to choose more games. At the same time, it also provides opportunities for a large number of small and medium-sized game developers to have more income, which has a certain supporting effect for small and medium-sized developers.