Xbox Game Pass Users “Sick and Tired” of Getting “Inferior” Version of Games

Xbox Game Pass Users "Sick and Tired" of Getting "Inferior" Version of Games

As a long-time PC gamer with a soft spot for Xbox Game Pass, I find myself caught between two worlds – the convenience of Game Pass and the allure of Steam. The former offers a wealth of games at an affordable price, but the latter seems to be winning the race when it comes to updates and version parity.


Xbox Game Pass subscribers on PC feel a bit “disappointed” with receiving less optimized game versions compared to Steam. While Xbox Game Pass offers good value on PC, many PC gamers find it limiting as the games can’t be played through Steam, their preferred platform. Moreover, updates for PC games are usually rolled out quicker on Steam than on the Microsoft Store, causing Xbox Game Pass users on PC to often play older versions of PC games compared to those on Steam. This discrepancy is increasingly causing dissatisfaction among subscribers.

Among the notable Xbox Game Pass games for PC this month is the highly anticipated title “Frostpunk 2“. Not only is it one of the standout releases on Xbox Game Pass PC this month, but it’s also one of the most significant game launches on PC platforms in general. This includes Steam. Those who have the game on Steam are receiving updates more frequently than those who do not.

“One top post on the Xbox Game Pass Reddit page complains about the lower quality of Game Pass versions of games compared to Steam on PC. For instance, I just installed ‘Frostpunk 2’ today on my PC and discovered that the Game Pass version doesn’t support DLSS 3.0 frame generation like its counterparts on other platforms.

The article goes on: “I’ve had this issue before with subpar Game Pass versions, and it happened with games like ‘Ark Survival Ascended’, where a high frame rate is almost necessary due to its poor performance. I can still recall struggling with the visually glitched ‘Quantum Break’ on Game Pass.

It’s puzzling that Microsoft takes its time to release updates for new versions, noticeably slower than Steam does. This delay often leaves Xbox Game Pass PC subscribers playing less advanced or updated versions of the same games compared to their Steam counterparts.

One comment stated, ‘I canceled my Xbox PC Game Pass subscription entirely because of The Ascent.’ Reason being, the game was faulty on Game Pass and lacked DLSS/ray tracing functionality. It took an excessive amount of time to synchronize with the functional Steam version.

Another comment adds: “I have also experienced this problem with other games. I’ve recently played Still Wakes the Deep and the Game Pass version didn’t even support DLSS while it was supported on Steam. I think they patched it and it may support it now but I’m done with the game.”

It’s uncertain if Microsoft will resolve this issue, but in the interim, it appears to be causing problems for Xbox Game Pass on PC. Therefore, potential subscribers might wish to consider whether they should sign up, given that the problem has not yet been addressed.

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2024-09-28 21:40