RIP, XBOX Game Pass, Hello, Microsoft Game Pass

GameStop Ad Promoting 'Microsoft' Game Pass Leads To More Xbox Chaos

A fairly boring ad about an Xbox demo day has set off a whole lot of theory crafting and discourse

A GameStop tweet promoting a demo day when folks can come in and play some games on Xbox consoles using “Microsoft Game Pass” has injected more chaos and controversy into the ongoing, apocalyptic Xbox drama—set off by reports of exclusive games like Starfield coming to PS5—currently affecting console warriors and devoted fans. And while the tweet and its promo image likely mean nothing, the reaction shows how jumpy some Xbox fans currently are.

For those who might be out there in the real world, living their lives, blissfully unaware of the Church of Xbox apocalypse currently happening online, let me catch you up. Over the February 3 weekend, reports and rumors began to circulate that Xbox was planning (or at least talking about) bringing some of its big exclusives to PlayStation. This included Starfield, Halo, and Gears of War. The reaction online from some of the more…let’s say, “passionate” Xbox fans was initially to dismiss the reports. But as more folks corroborated the info, Xbox insiders began hearing similar whispers, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer vaguely responded to the rumors and promised more information next week, the tone shifted and some began yelling, crying, and mourning the (still not confirmed, very unlikely) death of Microsoft’s console brand. This has since grown into a general sense of “What is happening at Xbox?” online. That might explain why a fairly innocuous GameStop promo image has set off a whole bunch of people.

On February 7, the official GameStop Twitter/X/whatever account posted a promo image for an Xbox demo day. Seems fine enough. But when referring to Game Pass, the company used the term “Microsoft Game Pass.” This is odd. Normally, I don’t think anyone would really care. However, we ain’t in normal times right now.

A retweet from Wario64 pointing out the phrase “Microsoft Game Pass” went viral online and theories were quickly spun up, with many pointing to this as more evidence that Microsoft was planning to kill the Xbox brand or use it for hardware only. Others suggested that it was Microsoft rebranding the subscription service— which grants you access to hundreds of games for a monthly fee—so it could be used on Switch or PlayStation.

There were also people who were like, “Hey, this is probably just a weird mistake.” They were mostly ignored as console warriors on both sides used this as evidence of…something! Something bad. Windows Central reporter Jez Corden claimed that he was told this was all GameStop’s doing and has no connection to Xbox plans. And yeah, that’s probably the case.

Kotaku has reached out to GameStop for more information.

The story would have ended here, folks, but then GameStop went and deleted the tweet as I was writing up this post. This, as you might expect, convinced some that it was a mistake. It also convinced some “passionate” gamers that it was actually evidence that GameStop let the cat out of the bag too early and the death of Xbox as a brand really is coming soon. The end is nigh and all that.

Anyway, the reality is that GameStop likey made a mistake. Or, someone realized that using the term “Microsoft Game Pass” right now would set off a firestorm of speculation that would lead to more coverage and online discussion of an event that, let’s be real here, would never have been covered by most places or talked about online by gamers if this whole thing hadn’t spiraled out of control.

All I can say is: I’m not sure Xbox believers and console fanboys can wait until next week to learn what, if anything, is happening.

https://kotaku.com/xbox-microsoft-game-pass-gamestop-ad-twitter-demo-days-1851236742

MS and Xbox needs to do a press conference before next week. this is getting nuts.

"Anyway, the reality is that GameStop likey made a mistake."

lol :P

That was an error, and GameStop already pulled it. Also, they and EA have both used Microsoft Game Pass in ads prior.

/thread

I always liked the name Microsoft Game Studios over Xbox Game Studios. It made more sense and was more accurate.

Feel sorry for the people who bought an Xbox recently and just found out they could've have it all by getting a PS5 😆

eh, Xbox was supposed to be a separate entity from Microsoft as a company the same way Playstation is a separate entity from Sony.

Of course the parent company gives each division the budget, but then they have heads that run those entity's like Jim Ryan and or Phil Spencer and, for the most part, they are allowed to do their own thing.

So Xbox Game Studios did make sense being it's own thing, however that could be changing very shortly

Oh no!

Anyway....

That was announced?

Pretending like it doesn't matter will be the lems thing for the whole of 2024, but in reality, they're dying inside😁

@TheEroica: Sorry i forgot to say spoiler alert

"Xbox Game Pass" hasn't been a thing since around 2020 when it was shortened to just "Game Pass"..

And, predictably, cows were acting as if that meant Game Pass was going to other consoles due to that rebranding..

And, unsurprisingly, here we are again with the same conclusion jumping..

@blamix: Or PC. Would rather go with PC to “have it all”.

Office 365 got renamed to Microsoft 365 yet it made no actual difference to the service, so this would likely mean nothing anyways.

Plus it’s likely an error as other posters above me pointed out.

Whatever the news is next week, watching lems clumsily tumble down the 5 stages of grief like an old flight of stairs will always be hilarious.

They've juggled Microsoft/Xbox Rewards & Store so much I don't even know what they go by anymore, but I don't care, I gladly use them.

Seriously, why are Cows so desperate to find an angle? It’s mildly disturbing to see a group of people collectively froth at the mouth again and again over silly non-issues like this.

First there was this - quickly debunked - non issue, and next they moved on to how the Xbox series logo has been removed from marketing, followed by ms replacing the phrase “Series x/s and pc” with “console and pc” is proof that Xbox is leaving the hardware business and launching the library on ps5.

All debunked.

It’s awkward to see these haters actually hoping for something that would only hurt them in the long term.

The same gimps don't say a word when Sony go multiplat or have a shocking next few years first party line up.....and there is where you'll find your Answer....by overblowing every thing Xbox they deflect anything PlayStation..

Don't try to understand them....pity them!

Microsoft is like Sega all over again. They never won a generation before going third party. But after Sega went third party, the quality of their games declined. That could be a bad sign of things to come for Microsoft games.

What constitutes it being third party?

@Pedro: The news reports I've seen are saying Microsoft is going third party... Are you trying to say they're fake news?

@Jag85: There are no news reports yet, just rumors. And the rumors involve more MS games going multiplatform; which would put them in the same third party situation as....Sony.

Don't see a reason they should ditch the Xbox brand.

Xbox is just the app name.

I asked a simple question. What constitutes it/any company being thrid party?

@Pedro: Like I said, all I've seen are news headlines saying Xbox is going third party. If you want to dispute those news headlines, then I'm all ears.

Welp the console wars are over.

Im surprised you're trying to find reason or understanding for those who have loyalty to inanimate objects.

@Archangel3371: What exactly are we supposed to be concerned about here? I want to be a concerned Lem, but I don't know how to be concerned :)

It is very interesting that you are avoiding the question this much. So, again, what constitutes it/any company being third party?

@Pedro: I haven't done enough research on the topic to give an answer. Are you going to explain what's going on or just keep asking rhetorical questions?

A rhetorical question doesn't require research and the question is on your understanding (which does not require research). Thank you for clarifying that you are not clear on the topic at hand.

Phil Spencer liked this post on Twitter:

Long as it continues to have MS games on it day 1, I don't care what it's called.

Poopass?

Cant see xbox letting games go to playstation if sony dont allow gamepass on their consoles.

Like starfield was heading to playstation till xbox pulled it. So why would they now change their mind?

Cant see xbox letting games go to playstation if sony dont allow gamepass on their consoles.

Like starfield was heading to playstation till xbox pulled it. So why would they now change their mind?