# AJS News- Call of Duty BO7 to BLAME for XBOX Price Hikes?, Starbreeze Cancels D&D Game, COD No SBMM? Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH-beloUC4I Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/DH-beloUC4I Generated: 2025-10-06T21:04:12.092+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The Angry Joe Show cast expresses strong disapproval of Microsoft's recent business decisions, particularly the $300 million loss attributed to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 being on Game Pass, arguing that such moves negatively impact consumers and developers, leading to price hikes and cancellations like Starbreeze's D&D game. **Key Points:** - Microsoft reportedly lost $300 million in lost sales due to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launching on Game Pass, according to reports discussed by the hosts. - The hosts criticize Microsoft's strategy, suggesting it encourages anti-consumer behavior like recent price hikes for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (from $12 to $20) and layoffs. - Starbreeze canceled its cooperative D&D game to focus resources on building Payday 3 into a 'modern live-engagement game,' a move the hosts seem critical of. - The hosts express frustration that consumers who buy games outright (like Call of Duty) subsidize the service for Game Pass subscribers. - They note that many developers and studios acquired by Microsoft (like Activision Blizzard and potentially Bethesda/Zenimax) are reportedly seeing negative internal consequences, such as layoffs. - The video features gameplay clips from various titles available on Game Pass, including Diablo IV, Astro, and others, contrasting them with the corporate news. - The hosts conclude that Microsoft's focus on Game Pass revenue consolidation is detrimental to the industry and consumers. ![Screenshot at 00:24: The Angry Joe host passionately shows his phone displaying the Surfshark VPN app successfully connecting, illustrating a solution to geo-restricted content access that he was promoting earlier in the segment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-00-24.png) **Context:** This segment from The Angry Joe Show features hosts Joe, Alex, and another guest reacting to recent video game industry news, primarily focusing on the financial implications of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and recent corporate actions by major publishers like Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The discussion centers on how these business strategies might negatively affect game quality, pricing, and developer stability. ## Detailed Analysis The segment begins with the hosts reviewing news items, heavily criticizing Microsoft's strategy concerning Xbox Game Pass and the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on the service, which reports suggest cost Microsoft $300 million in lost retail sales (01:58). They argue that the subscription model devalues the outright purchase of games, pointing out the recent price increase of Game Pass Ultimate to $20/month. The hosts also cover Starbreeze's decision to cancel its cooperative D&D game to focus solely on Payday 3, suggesting this move is a result of corporate pressure or poor strategy (01:34). They further detail the fallout from the Activision Blizzard acquisition, noting reports that layoffs followed the merger and that Microsoft is prioritizing Game Pass revenue over individual game sales, forcing developers to create content that serves the subscription service (08:18). The hosts express frustration that consumers who buy games outright are essentially funding these corporate maneuvers, leading to poor business practices like increased microtransactions and rushed releases. They conclude that this trend is unsustainable and negatively impacts both gamers and developers, urging consumers to support games they truly value by purchasing them separately if possible. ### Sponsor Segment (Surfshark VPN) - Host promotes Surfshark VPN for accessing geo-restricted content like different Netflix libraries using the app on a phone (00:16). ### Payday 3 News - Starbreeze canceled its co-op D&D game to focus on Payday 3 as a 'modern live-engagement game' (01:34), which the hosts find concerning. ### Call of Duty & Game Pass Financials - Reports indicate that Black Ops 6 launching on Game Pass cost Microsoft $300 million in lost retail sales (01:58), leading to service price hikes and layoffs across acquired studios (08:18). ### Industry Critique - Hosts criticize Microsoft/Activision for prioritizing subscription growth over consumer value, evidenced by price increases and layoffs, suggesting this model harms game development (08:26). ### Game Pass Top 20 Showcase - A montage of games available on Game Pass is shown, including Diablo IV (04:53), Astro (05:05), LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (08:16), and others, used to illustrate the breadth of the service while criticizing its underlying business model. ### Final Thoughts & Conclusion - The hosts express disappointment in the direction of the industry, particularly regarding Game Pass impacting traditional sales, and end the segment by thanking the audience and promoting their Patreon/Twitch (27:59). ![Screenshot at 00:01: A hand interacts with a futuristic holographic interface displaying a fingerprint scan, setting the high-tech tone for the segment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-00-01.png) ![Screenshot at 00:17: Angry Joe passionately promotes the Surfshark VPN sponsor, holding up his phone to show the application interface.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-00-17.png) ![Screenshot at 01:34: A video clip advertises 'Malware attack!' from a Surfshark promotional segment, contrasting the sponsor's content with the news discussion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-01-34.png) ![Screenshot at 02:03: Gameplay footage from what appears to be Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta is shown, illustrating the game being discussed in the news segment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-02-03.png) ![Screenshot at 03:00: The Payday 3 post-mission screen displays 'FAILURE' and score details, relating to the discussion about the canceled D&D game.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-03-00.png) ![Screenshot at 05:58: A Killcam view through a thermal scope in a Call of Duty-like game is displayed, referencing the discussion about cheating.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-05-58.png) ![Screenshot at 09:59: A montage screen flashes various games available on Xbox Game Pass, used as visual context for discussing subscription service value.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-09-59.png) ![Screenshot at 12:34: A character from a stylized game \(likely an EA title\) is shown in a dramatic moment, illustrating the variety of games on EA Play/Game Pass.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-12-34.png) ![Screenshot at 15:25: An ESRB rating screen \(Mature 17+\) is displayed, followed by a transition screen, setting the stage for the main discussion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-15-25.png) ![Screenshot at 27:53: A video clip promoting Surfshark VPN shows a person using the app on a phone to select a location, demonstrating the VPN's functionality.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DH-beloUC4I/00-27-53.png)