- Xbox has been marketing Silent Hill F by reminding people they don’t own the game, just a license.
- Some fans defended this approach, arguing that it is a fact about video games.
- However, many criticised this anti-consumer approach of the Xbox and lamented the state of the entire gaming industry.
Xbox has been under heavy fire recently for its anti-consumer practices. The American gaming giant increased the price of Xbox Game Pass by 50% after previously raising the prices of both Xbox Series consoles twice in one year.
The company has been moving towards a no-hardware ecosystem by making titles available to play anywhere. However, fans have some concerns regarding the advertising that Xbox is doing, deeming it especially anti-consumer.
Why it matters: For a company that is rumored to be software-exclusive very soon, this is a troubling sign for the times ahead.
As spotted by a fan on Reddit, Xbox is marketing Silent Hill F with a tag underneath stating that you will only purchase the license to play the horror title and not the entire game itself.
For sure, this is an underlying fact about every video game, but no company has ever marketed a new AAA title like this before, especially on its own platform. The poster described this as an “odd” way to market video games by blatantly telling consumers they won’t be able to purchase Silent Hill f fully.
One reply highlighted that if players already knew this aspect of purchasing games online, they wouldn’t have been so accepting of the demise of physical media, with more commenters expressing anger at this reality and the current state of the gaming industry.
Some comments defended Xbox for marketing the title correctly, but many questioned the need for a law like this in the first place, which doesn’t allow you to own what you buy.
Rumors have already been circulating that Xbox is going to introduce free cloud gaming with ads to make money, a move that hasn’t gone down well with players. And, with more layoffs also expected at the American gaming giant, it doesn’t seem like the PR of Xbox is getting better anytime soon.
Do you think purchasing games should only grant you a license, not ownership of the title? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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