Shares of GameStop (GME - Free Report) dropped more than 8.5% in late afternoon trading Tuesday following the announcement of Xbox Game Pass, a subscription-based gaming service that stands to threaten the video game retailer’s business model.
Xbox Game Pass promises to be the Netflix (NFLX) of the gaming world, giving users access to a library of on-demand games for just a $10 per month subscription. The service will launch later this spring with over 100 Xbox and Xbox 360 games available to play and download on the Xbox One.
Although Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) , the developer of the Xbox brand, has yet to release a full list of available titles, a teaser page for Game Pass includes games like Halo 5, Fable III, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and NBA 2k16.
(Also Read: 3 Video Game Stocks to Buy Right Now)
GameStop is feeling the effects of the announcement because a subscription-based service like Game Pass seriously threatens its business model. In a world where most new games can already be downloaded straight to the console, one of GameStop’s only remaining appeals is its used game library.
Each individual GameStop store has its own selection of used games, and this works perfectly for gamers looking for playable, recent-but-outdated titles. If you can access all of these games through a $10 a month subscription, why even bother heading into a GameStop store?
What’s worse is that Xbox Game Pass is likely just one of the first steps in the industry-wide acceptance of subscription services. Sony already has its PlayStation Now service, which allows PS4 users to stream PS3 games, but now Microsoft has joined the fray and upped the ante by giving gamers the ability to download from its library.
A Full-Blown Technological Breakthrough in the Making
Zacks’ Aggressive Growth Strategist Brian Bolan explores autonomous cars in our latest Special Report, Driverless Cars: Your Roadmap to Mega-Profits Today. In addition to who will be selling them and how the auto industry will be impacted, Brian reveals 8 stocks with tremendous gain potential to feed off this phenomenon. Click to see the stocks right now >>
Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.
This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.
Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>
Shares of GameStop (GME - Free Report) dropped more than 8.5% in late afternoon trading Tuesday following the announcement of Xbox Game Pass, a subscription-based gaming service that stands to threaten the video game retailer’s business model.
Xbox Game Pass promises to be the Netflix (NFLX) of the gaming world, giving users access to a library of on-demand games for just a $10 per month subscription. The service will launch later this spring with over 100 Xbox and Xbox 360 games available to play and download on the Xbox One.
Although Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) , the developer of the Xbox brand, has yet to release a full list of available titles, a teaser page for Game Pass includes games like Halo 5, Fable III, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and NBA 2k16.
(Also Read: 3 Video Game Stocks to Buy Right Now)
GameStop is feeling the effects of the announcement because a subscription-based service like Game Pass seriously threatens its business model. In a world where most new games can already be downloaded straight to the console, one of GameStop’s only remaining appeals is its used game library.
Each individual GameStop store has its own selection of used games, and this works perfectly for gamers looking for playable, recent-but-outdated titles. If you can access all of these games through a $10 a month subscription, why even bother heading into a GameStop store?
What’s worse is that Xbox Game Pass is likely just one of the first steps in the industry-wide acceptance of subscription services. Sony already has its PlayStation Now service, which allows PS4 users to stream PS3 games, but now Microsoft has joined the fray and upped the ante by giving gamers the ability to download from its library.
A Full-Blown Technological Breakthrough in the Making
Zacks’ Aggressive Growth Strategist Brian Bolan explores autonomous cars in our latest Special Report, Driverless Cars: Your Roadmap to Mega-Profits Today. In addition to who will be selling them and how the auto industry will be impacted, Brian reveals 8 stocks with tremendous gain potential to feed off this phenomenon. Click to see the stocks right now >>
Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.
This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.
Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>
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