Highlights
- Offering a diverse selection of games for a fixed monthly cost, Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus have emerged as sought-after subscription services.Sea of Stars, an eagerly awaited game yet to be released, will be accessible on both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus upon its launch, potentially spearheading a new direction within the gaming sector.
The simultaneous release on both platforms benefits gamers, subscription services, and developers by reaching a larger audience and providing immediate support and exposure for the game.
Debuted in February 2017, Xbox Game Pass is widely recognized as the ultimate gaming deal. Despite recent ups and downs, it still offers over 100 top-notch experiences at an affordable monthly price, making it a worthwhile choice for most Xbox users. Given the immense success of Xbox Game Pass in recent years, it comes as no surprise that PlayStation is eager to join the action with its own PlayStation Plus subscription system in 2022. Both services are already impressive, but they are about to become even more exceptional.
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Sea of Stars Could Be the Start of a New Industry Trend
Sea of Stars, the highly-anticipated game from Indie developer Sabotage Studio, known for the critically-acclaimed title The Messenger in 2018, was announced in March 2020. Serving as a prequel to The Messenger, Sea of Stars takes a departure from its predecessor's side-scrolling hack-and-slash gameplay and introduces an aesthetic inspired by Chrono Trigger, along with turn-based RPG mechanics. With gamers eagerly anticipating Sea of Stars for the past three years, a recent announcement revealed that the game will be available on both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus on its day of release, potentially setting a new trend in the gaming industry.Since its launch, Xbox Game Pass has consistently promoted the inclusion of all first-party Xbox games on the service from day one. This selling point has gradually expanded to encompass a wide selection of highly-anticipated titles, both from independent developers and major AAA third-party publishers. The repeated use of the "day one on Xbox Game Pass" marketing slogan over the years has solidified the service's tremendous value, making it a key contributor to the ongoing success of Xbox Game Pass.
PlayStation Plus, despite being younger, has employed a similar strategy with a few conditions. Sony has been transparent about not offering first-party exclusives on PS Plus at launch. However, that doesn't mean PS Plus hasn't had its successes. Stray, for example, was a notable triumph for PS Plus, releasing around the same time as the service and convincing many to upgrade to a higher tier.
While Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus differ in their approach to day-one releases, they both recognize the value of Sea of Stars. This game is a unique case in the gaming industry as it simultaneously launched on both subscription services. This groundbreaking event could mark the beginning of a new era in gaming subscription services.
With the precedent set, gamers may now expect more titles to be available on both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus simultaneously. This would be beneficial for everyone involved, offering gamers highly-anticipated titles within their subscriptions, potentially increasing or maintaining subscribers for both Xbox and PlayStation, and providing immediate financial and publishing support to developers from two major gaming companies. Indie games like Sea of Stars stand to benefit the most from this trend, as they can reach a larger audience right from the start on two major platforms, attracting the attention of numerous gamers who may have otherwise overlooked them.