FTC Blasts Xbox Game Pass Price Increase and New Tiers as 'Product Degradation'
FTC Blasts Xbox Game Pass Price Increase and New Tiers as 'Product Degradation'
The FTC blasted the Xbox Game Price increases in a new filing, describing the new Standard tier as "product degradation" and claiming that the increases are inconsistent with its arguments from last year's trial.
"Product Degradation" has been the modus operandi for nearly every online service for like 10-15 years now, but it's the Gamepass price increase is what got the FTC's attention? Where was the FTC when the movie/TV streaming service market balkanized itself in an arms race to reinvent cable?
Granted, I doubt the FTC could really do anything meaningful to stop enshittification given that corporations are effectively above the law these days, but it's been blatantly obvious that this was going to be Gamepass' strategy from day one. If this actually surprised anyone at the FTC, they really haven't been paying attention.
The FTC is specifically pissed that Microsoft was allowed to acquire Activision and then this price increase happened. It flies in the face of all the shit MS said wouldn’t happen to get the merger approved.
I hope there is a consequence.
The FCT cares because this comes in the follow up of a merger they tried to stop by claiming, among other things, Microsoft would do exactly this. Back then the court disagreed, so they are going to try to rub the court's nose on the shit it did.
but it's the Gamepass price increase is what got the FTC's attention? Where was the FTC when the movie/TV streaming service market balkanized itself in an arms race to reinvent cable?
maybe we finally have some people in the FTC that are affected by this, finally someone my age in office making moves I approve of! lol
I like "Product Degradation" way better than "enshittification".
Nice to see an official sounding term for it honestly. It's a scourge these days.
I'm so tired of the "e" word. Most of the people tossing it around, like the commenter up above, apparently don't even know what it actually means.
Here's a tip: It doesn't refer to something that got more expensive and / or moved services around in existing tiers like MS did with GamePass. You can read Cory's Book or check out the wikipedia page for the actual definition. Go read one of them and then Stop abusing the fucking term!
The filing argues that the price increase, which was announced July 9, is "inconsistent" with the case it made during last year's Xbox FTC trial.
Sweet. Less stuff for more money. Next up: advertisements!
Game Pass has been an awful money hole for MS since its inception. There's no way it can make money without a dramatic increase in price for way less. It's been so clear from day one that the hope was for gamers to just… stop buying games and for their service to become the only thing so they could later jack up the price when other options are gone, like streaming services did.