Microsoft and Sony are constantly putting efforts to make their platforms more appealing to their audience by means of new and innovative features, which have garnered varying degrees of success over the years.
However, it seems that Microsoft is currently poised to dominate Sony in at least one regard: Xbox Game Pass . The service was already popular and worth the asking price when it launched, but it seems that Microsoft's recent decisions regarding the service has put it directly against Sony, which seems to be going with the conventional route when it comes to PlayStation as a platform.
Day-1 Access To AAA Releases
Xbox Game Pass certainly has a lot of merits to its name, and one of the biggest and most convincing among them is the day-1 access to select AAA releases. Microsoft seems to continuously be on the lookout for snagging as many high-profile AAA releases as possible and making them available on the service at launch. People Can Fly's Outriders launched on Xbox Game Pass, and it has been announced that MLB The Show 21 would launch on the service as well. The most interesting bit here is that MLB The Show was previously exclusive to Sony platforms, and the game would cost $70 on a PS5.
This isn't to state that Sony's PS Plus and PS Now services are bad by any means, far from it. PS5 exclusive Destruction: AllStars launched on PS Plus in February, and Oddworld: Soulstorm also launched on the service just recently. While there might be great games available on the Sony side of things, it doesn't compare to the consistency in the AAA availability on the Game Pass service.
Acquisitions And First-Party Releases
Microsoft is currently on a shopping spree for studios, constantly trying to diversify its portfolio by acquiring both indie and AAA developers. In addition to acquisitions of Ninja Theory and Double Fine Productions, Microsoft has recently completed its Bethesda deal following which every Bethesda game would be launching on Game Pass. Bethesda is currently developing a few of the most highly-anticipated games right now, including The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield.
On the other hand, Sony is taking a more restrained approach to acquisitions, instead pumping a huge chunk of its budget on making the highest-quality first-party AAA releases. While many fans would consider Sony's conventional approach to be outdated, it certainly has resulted in a more consistently high-quality exclusive library of games. Furthermore, Sony is confident in its ability to sell consoles with the likes of Horizon, Uncharted, and God of War.
While it remains to be seen how each approach pans out, it's clear that Microsoft and Game Pass are currently the more forward-thinking of the bunch. Sony has certainly taken note, and rumors have already started swirling around regarding a potential competitor for Game Pass.