Recently, foreign media Tweaktown released an article analyzing the two marketing models of the current Microsoft subscription service Xbox Game Pass, and pointed out that the model is being adopted by major publishers and developers to help promote new profit growth methods.
The first is XGP's Early Access model, which the media points out differs from standardized early access in that instead of paying a lower fee to play a game that is still in development and helping shape the game through their feedback, XGP players spend part of the money to play a finished game.
In this mode, Early Access is mixed with the higher-priced version of the game, which Microsoft has adopted with success in Starfield: ordinary players can purchase the premium version to unlock the game 5 days in advance; XGP users can upgrade at a lower price and get early access to the game, but they won't be able to enjoy this policy without XGP qualification.
In addition, Microsoft offers various deep discounts for subscribers to help players save money. The media believes that if developers' games are played more on Game Pass, they will receive bonuses from Microsoft. Significant discounts will not only encourage sales of games, but also boost the clearance rate of specific games. Over time and as Microsoft and its partners continue to improve their subscription models, these two profit points may gradually gain prominence.