I've always seen my Xbox Series as a Game Pass machine. It's good value for money, more often than not. In practice, I was wasting more money than the time I put into the games it offered. With the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Blue Prince, and much more already lined up this year as day one releases, I'm finally dusting off my trusty old piece of Microsoft hardware.
I grew up with Xbox. I remember vividly the day my brother came home with a giant box and a game that would possibly define what I would grow up to enjoy in my entertainment: Knights of the Old Republic. I remember the first time I played Halo: Combat Evolved at a cousin's house. It sparked my interest in such a way it led me to wonder what types of worlds existed outside the family-friendly Nintendo vibes I was used to.
At one point, like many young kids trying to fit in somewhere (whether that's online or in real-life social circles) I dabbled in the "console wars," going to war for the black and green army. Unbeknownst to my Xbox brothers-in-arms, one of my favorite games to this day is Final Fantasy VII, but they didn't need to hear that.
In recent years, I've fallen off. Xbox's strategy is perfectly fine with long-time users like me doing so, the company stated it every chance they get. It's all about Game Pass building an ecosystem that allows users to enjoy Xbox titles across multiple platforms. Sorry if that sounded like corporative talk, I'm just so used to hearing it's ingrained into my brain.
From being an all-out X-bot, last year I only dedicated roughly 117 hours to my Series S. It was all for Persona 3 Reload and a bit of Black Ops 6 sprinkled in. That's it, that was the extent of my playtime on Microsoft's console in 2024.
I added 130 hours of Game Pass usage via PC thanks to Football Manager 2024. I was paying a hefty subscription fee monthly without really reaping the benefits. Barely 250 hours of game time while paying $20 a month for the Ultimate tier? I was handing out money for free.
Once I unsubbed, I felt no remorse or any sense of nostalgia for a brand that's been a pivotal part of my growth for the past 20+ years. Even if you argue that the value for money was worth it for you, I just personally didn't see it.
I wasn't interested in Indiana Jones. I gave MachineGames' Wolfenstein FPS' a shot, they weren't for me. Call of Duy just played like the yearly shooter slop you've come to expect with the promised Warzone Verdnask map delayed to the point I don't care for it anymore. Hellblade 2? Didn't even play the first one.
So you see, Game Pass did have some neat stuff come out. I'm old enough to recognize not everything should and will appeal to my tastes. But then, it happened.
Early in the year, Avowed made me turn my head and ponder, "maybe I should get back on my little trusty Game Pass machine". Later, out of the blue (no pun intended), Blue Prince hit the service. An indie roguelike puzzle-based game? Oh, now you're talking.
Then the big one: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. While I've never been a fan of the series, I know of its importance and with all the hype surrounding the worst shadow drop of all time, I might have to hop onto the train and see what it's all about.
If all that wasn't enough, remember how I said Final Fantasy VII was one of my favorite games of all time and how Knights of the Old Republic shaped me during my formative years? Well, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is exactly the type of RPG I'm poised to adore. And you're telling me I get to experience it day one with Game Pass?
Even looking into the near future: I'm so down to play Doom: The Dark Ages, even try out Tony Hawk's latest remake, even if it's not something I have nostalgia for. Rumors of a Persona 4 Golden remake hitting the system? Yes, please.
It seems 2025 will be the year for Game Pass. And while my relationship with Xbox has fundamentally changed for the worse, I'm still excited to see their subscription service succeed. They at least got me to dust off my Series S, perhaps for one final ride.