Fall Guys? Fall Guys.

Yesterday, there was a bit of a flurry on Twitter after it was uncovered in a comment on Instagram from the Official Game Pass account that Fall Guys was coming to the Xbox subscription service. Considering that there is a lot of hype around this game on the PC and PlayStation, where it is currently a console exclusive, the announcement that it was coming to Xbox is a big win for Microsoft.

But then reality set in and the developer of the game, very clearly stated, that this is not happening. In fact, the developer stated, “There are no plans for Fall Guys to come to any form of Gamepass.” That is clear language that does not leave much room for interpretation.

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But that’s exactly what I am going to do because I like this game and something seemed a little off about this announcement – so bare with me as I tinker around this topic.

So how did this happen? How did an Xbox account mention a game that was coming to the service for it only to be shot down by the developers…these are the possible scenarios:

The first scenario is that it was the case of an honest mix-up. I would not be surprised if the person replying on Instagram confused Among Us and Fall Guys and intended to reference Among Us as that game is coming soon to Xbox Game Pass. This seems like a plausible reason for why this mix-up happened but it may not be the only reason.

A second scenario is that the game is coming to Xbox Game Pass in the future but because of contracts signed with Sony for a temporary console exclusive, the developers are not allowed to acknowledge that the game is being developed for Microsoft’s console.

It could be considered a breach of contract if they mention Xbox in any capacity as this could limit the value of the ‘exclusive’ appeal of it only be on the PlayStation 5. Keeping that in mind, the developer would be required to knock down these rumors to stay in compliance with their contract.

And there is history to back up this idea. Control was said to be coming to Xbox Game Pass, only for the developer to deny this, and then for it to actually come to the subscription service.

Also, if you read Devolver Digital’s statement closely, it says the game is not coming to any form of Game Pass, it does not say that the game is not coming to Xbox as a traditional title.

Unless Sony decides to outright buy exclusivity for the game on the console as a potential part of their contract, I would not be surprised to see at some point Fall Guys come to the Xbox. But when? That is another question – Xbox gave us a little bit of hope but figuring out if that was an honest accident or a slip of the tongue is hard to determine.

 

 

 

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Conversation 7 comments

  • scovious

    21 January, 2021 - 12:47 pm

    <p>Don't mess with Sony and their hush money, they paid for a year or two of exclusivity and if Sony felt cheated they might edit developers out of marketing or worse… unlist it from their store.</p>

    • vladimir

      Premium Member
      21 January, 2021 - 3:50 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#608950">In reply to scovious:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>do you mean that Microsoft is not in it for the money?</p>

  • skullivan

    21 January, 2021 - 2:21 pm

    <p>Control isn’t really a good example of precedent, it was said to be coming to GamePass but didn’t end up there for a year and during that time it spent 6 months on PS Now. If Fall Guys ends up being the same as Control it could be a long wait. </p>

    • Calibr21

      22 January, 2021 - 1:14 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#608961">In reply to skullivan:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think the Gamepass agreement for Control was agreed to when Phil Spencer announced it Dec 2019. My guess is he read the email wrong or someone wrote an email wrong and it said "Control is coming to Gamepass January 2021" and he got the year mixed up and assumed 2020. Remedy had to put on the statement because they had their PSNOW exclusivity in 2020. </p><p><br></p><p>This could be a similar situation where there is a deal for Fall Guys to come to Gamepass, but not until the Sony exclusivity agreement expires.</p><p><br></p><p>Publishers may look at games like studios look at movies now. Theatre run (full price release) followed by a Disc/Purchase a few months later (sale price) and then licensed for limited time runs on various streaming platforms. </p>

  • justme

    Premium Member
    22 January, 2021 - 2:13 am

    <p>OK, I have to admit to being momentarily confused. I saw "Fall Guys" and the thing that came to mind was Lee Majors, Heather Thomas, Jo Ann Pflug, and Markie Post. I thought this was going to be a game about a fictional Hollywood stuntman that was also a bounty hunter. Not whatever this is.</p><p><br></p><p>Yeah, probably showing my age. And my American-ness (for international readers – The Fall Guy was a 1980s TV show in the US)</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      22 January, 2021 - 9:38 am

      I think the same thing every time I see that name.

      • bleeman

        Premium Member
        23 January, 2021 - 1:54 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#609058">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Same here.</p>

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