Speed-running Xbox's demise
Huge GamePass price increase a major downer ahead of ROG Xbox Ally launch
I had been so hyped to finally get my hands on the ROG Xbox Ally X this week. The gaming handheld promises Xbox-style contoured grips and a dedicated Xbox button that pulls up the Xbox Game Bar to easily chat with your friends, capture gameplay moments, and monitor the handheld’s performance.
But that excitement dissipated last week when Microsoft announced a whopping 50% price hike for its highest-tier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription plan. I’ll now have to pay S$30 a month, up from S$18.90.
Now, what do you actually get for that massive price increase? Well, if you’re not into Fortnite or classic Ubisoft games, it’s a whole load of nothing. It’s worth noting that GamePass subscribers in Singapore, unlike those in some countries, already do not enjoy access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Microsoft is also taking away the discounts on games and DLC with a GamePass subscription, and replacing it with store points via the Rewards with Xbox program, which I would argue is a downgrade for those who aren’t actively tracking their points. Oh, and the prices of the Xbox Series X|S consoles are going up, too. For this round, it’s happening only in the US, but let’s not forget Microsoft already increased Xbox console prices worldwide not too long ago.
I have said this before, but it’s mindboggling that my Xbox Series X|S consoles have actually appreciated in value. But I doubt anyone in Singapore will pay a good price for my used consoles. Xbox has always lagged behind PlayStation here, and I can only see this situation accelerating in favour of Sony after this latest price hike.
So it’s not been a good week for Xbox GamePass subscribers. Apparently, the membership website crashed as users cancelled their subscriptions. There’s also renewed speculation about the future of Xbox hardware, which led Microsoft to issue a statement saying otherwise.
As someone who has sung praises about the day-one offerings on GamePass, which has definitely gotten better over the years, and includes potential 2025 Game of the Year contenders like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, as well as personal favourites like Monster Train 2 and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, it’s bitterly disappointing.
But it’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last time that companies increase prices after building up an audience. By now, it’s inevitable that subscription prices will only go up. We have seen it happen with streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. Who knows, with Microsoft seemingly running the Xbox brand into the ground, the lack of competition may result in Sony eventually raising prices, too.
Microsoft’s announcement obviously didn’t come at a good time for the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, which recently opened for pre-order, with store availability from October 17. The base ROG Xbox Ally is priced at S$799, while the more powerful ROG Xbox Ally X is S$1,299.
The negative publicity from the GamePass announcement will likely cast some doubt on these devices. But the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds are still proper Windows 11 PCs, so you can install other game launchers from Epic, Steam, and more. The big challenge here for Asus would be to show consumers why the Xbox handhelds are a better deal than competitors like the Nintendo Switch 2 (S$719) and the Steam Deck OLED (around S$800). We’re testing the ROG Xbox Ally X now, so stay tuned for the full review.
In other news, HP, which marked its 55th year in Singapore this year, has launched Garage 2.0, an incubator for AI startups here. The OG of Silicon Valley startups, HP will support the initial cohort of 10 startups by providing collaborative workspaces located within HP’s Singapore campus, and access to HP’s business and engineering experts.
While these AI startups are geared towards businesses rather than consumers, one startup that caught our eye is Wubble, which calls itself the world’s first ethical B2B AI music platform producing royalty-free music for cheap. Founder and CEO Anand Roy said that Wubble is “ethical” because it’s trained solely on royalty-free music, which may not always be the case for other AI-generated music. The startup has worked with some notable names like Disney and Starbucks. You can try it free (with some limitations) for personal use — paid plans start from S$4.99 a month.
This week, we gave our take on the flagship Apple iPhone, dunked Honor’s durable champion of a phone in water, and went on a nostalgia trip with a new entry in the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise.
This year’s Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max offers a new design sporting a rear camera plateau that takes up almost the entire width of the phone. It’s also made from aluminium, which is a switch from the titanium alloy used in previous iterations. More importantly, there are improvements to the cameras, performance, and battery life.
With the largest battery (8,300mAh) we have ever seen on a smartphone, the Honor X9d will comfortably last two days of use. This phone is also designed to be durable with an IP69K rating that protects against even high-temperature pressurised water jets. That’s two solid reasons to get this phone, though its performance is only mid-range.
The venerable turn-based fantasy strategy franchise Heroes of Might and Magic is back with Olden Era. As usual, you control a band of heroes, and explore the world, fighting (and recruiting) monsters, capturing cities, and building an army to go against your opponent. This demo version is single-player only with three scenarios, and four races (out of six) to play with.