RadiantViper said:This would undermine Game Pass even more after they just raised the price to access day one games.
But really specifying Game Pass doesn't matter, those other games are still coming out and they're simply worried Avowed would get lost in the shuffle. If it's the genuine reason for the delay, MS is basically just trying to avoid what happened to EA with Titanfall 2.
Not disagreeing with anything you say.
Setting
Avowed aside for the moment, Microsoft is too heavy-handed with GamePass. It's a shame because GamePass is the gold standard of subscription services. The FTC warned Microsoft would make price hikes, lower quality, and do whatever it wanted. Increasing GamePass subscriptions so soon seems like a ham-fisted blunder.
There are too many exclusives. Not all exclusives need to appear on GamePass. Microsoft needs to learn how to be more adept in its business practices.
Wrt
Avowed, I can understand why Microsoft would want to time the release strategically. Yet, delaying it past the holiday season signals a lack of confidence. If
Avowed is as good as
The Outer Worlds, it should be one of the main attractions of the holiday season.
So, why is Microsoft getting cold feet. My suspicion is that Avowed's limited release compounded by its GamePass venue has resulted in a diminished budget. Through no fault of Obsidian, the Avowed development team might not have the same financial resources available to The Outer Worlds developers. If so, it is perfectly understandable to see Microsoft flinch.