The announcement that Destiny 2 would be coming to the Xbox Game Pass, for both Xbox One and PC, was a big surprise for the Xbox Games Showcase. Most impressively about the latest addition to the game subscription service is the fact that players will be able to access all of the currently available expansions with the subscription.
This could be big news for the Xbox Game Pass, as more live service games may follow Bungie’s example allowing access to expansions through a separate, paid subscription. If this is the case, then Destiny 2 could be the first of many games to start making moves towards offering different options for players to access new content.
Subscription MMOs
Bringing Destiny 2 to Game Pass feels a lot like a callback to the origins of MMOs and the way that these massive games have always worked on a subscription basis. This includes modern MMOs as well, such as Final Fantasy 14, which requires a subscription in order to play the game at all. In a way, putting the expansions for Destiny 2 behind a paid subscription is similar to this business model, with access to content requiring a monthly or yearly payment.
The big difference between Destiny 2 and these other subscription MMOs is that the expansions are also sold separately. This means that players have options for how they want to play, as opposed to only having one way to get access to certain parts of the game. So anyone interested in the Beyond Light expansion can choose to either pay a subscription to play the new content, or buy the content outright, for a slightly higher price.
Netflix of Gaming
Another important feature that makes Destiny 2’s move to Game Pass different than the standard MMO mode is that it won’t be the only game made available with the subscription. As has been the intent since Microsoft introduced the Game Pass, this service is meant to be an aggregation of games that all combine to make getting the service worth the money. This is a similar business model to video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, where there is a large amount of original content available, as well as a combination of outside shows and movies.
Furthering that same concept, having the Game Pass extend to both the Xbox One and Windows PCs opens the market for players of two of the biggest gaming platforms available. Combine the wide spread Microsoft has access to with the lack of competition that can compete on both fronts, and Game Pass will become a haven for games like Netflix did for film. So adding Destiny 2 to the equation could mean that the aggregation model could eventually pull together other live service titles to keep players engaged indefinitely.
Game Pass Needs Live Service Titles
One thing that Game Pass has over the nearest competitors, like PlayStation Now on PS4, is the selection of games, which often includes brand new and hugely popular titles. However, while new games will get players engaged enough to buy a month here and there as new games come out, getting lasting subscribers can be a struggle. This is where Destiny 2 comes in, as a means to keep players invested in Game Pass for as long as new expansions and updates release that require the subscription.
From here, this could extend well beyond Destiny 2 and its expansions and back to some of the MMOs we talked about earlier. Aggregating Final Fantasy 14 and other paid service titles under the same umbrella could mean that Game Pass will now have multiple avenues to keep subscribers engaged. Sure, one expansion or season might fizzle out or players might beat a new game in a week, but if there are multiple live service games to fall back on, fans will never want to leave.
Where This Could Take Destiny 2
There are a number of benefits for live service games signing onto programs like Game Pass, especially considering the stigma that comes with the “games as a service” label. By putting that service behind a subscription like Game Pass, that gives access to all current and future content, titles like Destiny 2 get a consistent revenue stream. Instead of banking months of hard work on sales figures for each expansion at launch, Bungie can instead focus on updating the game in pieces.
This would apply itself well to the current season model of Destiny 2, with each season acting more or less like a miniature expansion in regular intervals. To a degree, this is already how Bungie has been operating since picking up this new model, to mixed success across the last few seasons. However, if the pressure is removed to launch a huge, make-or-break expansion every September, then development could work towards constantly drip-feeding new content to players.
A Strong Start For Next-Gen
With next-gen consoles ready to start shipping out later this year, there is then a question of how the new strategy for Game Pass could affect this rollout. Well, considering that Destiny 2 will be enhanced on Xbox Series X, it may be safe to say that it is a large part of the upcoming system’s launch strategy. At the very least, Game Pass's ever-expanding library of games is certainly going to be a large factor in the success of these consoles as they release.
Thanks largely in part to the Xbox Series X’s commitment to backwards compatibility, the system is looking to launch with a massive, playable library. This would mean that Game Pass could be the best way for players to play some of their favorite games on a new console that gives the best possible experience. So any live service title like Destiny 2 instantly becomes a sure pick for the service looking to grab players early in the systems lifecycle and keep it going indefinitely.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.