Xbox Era Defined by Corporate Greed

Phil Spencer has led Xbox (officially titled CEO of Microsoft Gaming) for more than ten years. Until recently, one could argue that under his leadership, Xbox genuinely prioritized gamers - even while losing ground to PlayStation in market share. Let's recap: Spencer quickly decoupled Kinect from Xbox One, eliminating its $100 price burden. His inaugural major initiative was pioneering backward compatibility, undoubtedly a massive win. Later, FPS Boost on Xbox Series X|S enhanced many classic titles. He forcibly pushed Sony into embracing cross-play normalization. The Xbox One X outperformed PS4 Pro with native 4K support. Accessibility also flourished during Spencer's tenure through innovations like the Xbox Adaptive Controller and commendable ASL integration in first-party titles. Then there's Xbox Game Pass - its financial viability remains debated, yet it delivers exceptional value.

But cracks began showing. On IGN's Unlocked podcast, I frequently reference Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes - a perfect metaphor for Xbox's self-sabotage. October exemplifies this: Microsoft launches three highly anticipated titles - Ninja Gaiden's thrilling revival after ten years, Double Fine's promising Keeper (follow-up to Psychonauts 2), and Obsidian's critically acclaimed Outer Worlds 2 sequel. This lineup could redefine Xbox's momentum...

All three launch day-one on Game Pass - but here comes the rake: subscription prices just jumped 50%, with Ultimate now costing $30/month (up from $17 fourteen months prior).

Fourteen months ago, Game Pass Ultimate was $17. Now it's $30. That's staggering inflation.

To Microsoft's credit, Ultimate now includes Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew, and enhanced cloud streaming. Major GOTY contenders like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also debuted day-one. Yet core appeal remains first-party releases - making this hike feel targeted. (PC Game Pass rises from $12 to $16.49)

This follows Xbox's second console price hike in four months ($800 Series X), eclipsed only by the $999 ROG Xbox Ally X handheld. The $599 base model remains unproven - Microsoft only demoed the premium version.

First-party games remain the lone exception...for now. Microsoft attempted price hikes with Outer Worlds 2 before fan backlash forced retreat. Expect renewed attempts with Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, and Forza Horizon 6.

While inflation affects all platforms (Sony/Nintendo raised hardware/software costs too), Microsoft's $4 trillion valuation and $80B acquisition spree make its penny-pinching particularly egregious. These repeated hikes validate Game Pass sustainability concerns.

We've reached gaming's affordability tipping point - historically, console generations become more accessible over time.

This Xbox generation will likely be remembered for corporate greed: multiple hardware/Game Pass hikes, software price attempts, and brutal layoffs/closures.

It's a monkey's paw scenario: after begging for quality first-party games since Xbox One's disaster, we're finally getting them...at outrageous cost. The blame lies squarely with Microsoft's profit-first mentality.