#30 XBOX GAME PASS

Since Microsoft stopped releasing sales figures for the Xbox One, we can only assume the Playstation 4 is virtually uncatchable. But, like a plucky boxer who gets back on his feet after a seemingly bout-ending uppercut, Microsoft won’t just hand the title over.

On the hardware side, it released the stonkingly powerful Xbox One X, and now it’s turning its attention towards software – not the games themselves, but how we consume them.

Xbox Game Pass is essentially a Netflix-style buffet, offering unlimited access to over 100 games in the Xbox catalogue for a monthly fee of £7.99. If you’re not playing online, you don’t even need an Xbox Live membership.

Since launch, Xbox Game Pass has already built up a solid line-up. But here comes the surprise right hook: from now on, any new title published by Microsoft Studios will be available on the service from day one. That includes 2018 big hitters such as Sea of Thieves and Crackdown 3, as well as future Halo and Forza entries. When you consider how much new games cost, you could save yourself a serious wad even if you only play a few titles each year.

There is a question mark hanging over all this, though: the games themselves. Beyond those mentioned above, Microsoft’s list of upcoming exclusives is seriously lacking. That needs rectifying sharpish, but this latest development is still a promising start to the Xbox comeback.

ALL FUTURE MICROSOFT STUDIOS TITLES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THIS SERVICE FROM DAY ONE