Looking at the upcoming releases highlights the disparity of third-party titles, first-party Sony and Nintendo titles, and the lack of major Xbox games. That’s not to say Xbox is entirely out of the running, as it does have releases like Grounded’s 1.0 update upcoming, but Starfield’s delay earlier this year can be seen and felt now. Prior to God of War Ragnarok’s release date confirmation and said delay, Starfield was the game of the fall. Without it, Xbox has no real way to compete with Sony’s God of War Ragnarok, yet healthy competition between the two is always necessary. Luckily, should Xbox manage to leverage it, it does have a secret weapon that could give Sony’s upcoming title a run for its money.
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Xbox Game Pass Needs a Big Addition for Fall 2022
Xbox Game Pass is its secret weapon. Despite the recent launch of the PS Plus tiered service that includes a library similar to Game Pass, even Sony admits that it’ll take years for PS Plus to catch up to Game Pass. And Game Pass is a gift that keeps on giving, with several games added every month. It’s had a successful 2022, with several titles being released on it, but it has yet to confirm a game for fall 2022 that could compete with God of War Ragnarok. Many believed that Microsoft would cut a third-party deal to get something on Game Pass to improve its fall lineup, but nothing of that magnitude has been announced yet. Of course, given its normal announcement schedule, it wouldn’t be.
Xbox Game Pass has a strong 12-month plan lined up, with titles like Starfield, Redfall, and even Hollow Knight Silksong coming in the next 12 months, but it needs a power play that can compete with God of War Ragnarok this fall. The recent additions of Immortals Fenyx Rising to Xbox Game Pass and even Death Stranding to PC Game Pass are awesome, but not awe-inspiring. But, should Microsoft cut a deal with one company, that could change drastically.
Xbox Game Pass Needs a GOTY Contender to Fight a GOTY Contender
If, and this is a big if, Xbox cut a deal with FromSoftware and got Elden Ring on the service, it would be one of the biggest additions to date. That’s saying something when beloved titles like GTA 5 and RDR2 have graced the service, but Elden Ring is a different beast. It has sold incredibly well and essentially defined the gaming industry in 2022. Yet, despite this, many may be reluctant to buy the game given how difficult FromSoftware games prove to be. Putting it on Xbox Game Pass, though, would invite even more players to the game, and since it would likely be a limited run, it could bolster FromSoftware’s reputation even more and Xbox’s presence this fall just as much. It would be a win-win for Xbox, FromSoftware, and gamers.
After all, FromSoftware’s pedigree in the Souls genre is unchallenged. Its previous game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, won GOTY at The Game Awards, and for many, Elden Ring is a given this year too. At the same time, God of War won GOTY there too, and many think God of War Ragnarok could challenge Elden Ring. Xbox would be bringing a GOTY contender to Game Pass and giving God of War Ragnarok some competition. if it made such a move. Even for those who have already played and beaten Elden Ring, even on different platforms, such an announcement would be incredible and truly steal some of Sony’s thunder this fall.
Competition is healthy, and this would be the best thing to see unfold in this arena this fall. Sure, one could argue that Xbox needs to bring a first-party game to the table, but Xbox Game Pass is its secret weapon and leveraging that is just smart. There are also plenty of first-party Xbox games coming in the future, such as Starfield, Redfall, Fable, Perfect Dark, Fable, Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, and many, many more. So, while right now 2022 needs a little boost, it’s clear the competition for this generation is still ramping up.
God of War Ragnarok releases on November 9 for PS4 and PS5.
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