If you bought starfield on the Xbox store you can swap from PC to Xbox because they share they same store front. This is not like buying a game on Xbox then having it on Steam.

Yet Adobe and Microsoft allow users to run their apps on the PC, Mac, and iOS and iPad OS without paying extra.

You're speaking about subscription plan based applications. Most (not all) subscription based services allow you use their programs for monthly yearly fee on any device you want. The service you get is also exclusively sold in their store front and not a competing business. MS does sells MS Office but Apple does not sell that service. Destiny 2, and most video games, do not fit this mold.

[quote]Destiny 2, and most video games, do not fit this mold.[/quote] But they could, if they wanted to.

Because you are buying a license from Adobe directly. Microsoft isnt getting paid for that nor is Apple. So thats not a 1:1 comparison. For example though, our season passes and dungeon keys, that are bought from the Eververse store, can be used on any platform via cross save, which is a closer comparison to your example.

[quote]Microsoft isnt getting paid for that nor is Apple.[/quote] I'm not so sure about that. I would think that there is some money changing hands based on store downloads. Bungie could follow the same model by "subsidising" the download costs for subscribers who wish to use the same content on different platforms. My sense is that they decide not to because they want to make some (more) money; which is not a detraction, just an observation.

[quote]I'm not so sure about that. I would think that there is some money changing hands based on store downloads.[/quote]When I download an Adobe product, I am downloading it directly from Adobe. MS/Apple have nothing to do with that. Adobe knows if you want to use their product, you are going to buy it from them, MS and Apple have nothing really to offer Adobe to force use of their marketplaces. [quote]Bungie could follow the same model by "subsidising" the download costs for subscribers who wish to use the same content on different platforms.[/quote]This would require Bungie selling the game directly, through their own launcher and not having it on any console. [quote]My sense is that they decide not to because they want to make some (more) money; which is not a detraction, just an observation.[/quote]Due to the loss of console players it would cost them 2/3 of their playerbase (assuming all platforms have equal player pools) Video game publishers, use the storefronts that are established as it gives them greater access to players. I remember the backlash when certain games went to Epic launcher instead of Steam, players were very vocal and "boycotted" until the game was on Steam. Epic is more dev friendly as they take a considerably smaller cut of the sales, but they have less players overall which is why devs pay more to Steam.

[quote]When I download an Adobe product, I am downloading it directly from Adobe.[/quote] Unless you download from an app store, i.e. on an iOS or iPad OS device. [quote]This would require Bungie selling the game directly, through their own launcher and not having it on any console.[/quote] Not sure why you say this. They sell through third parties such as Target and GameStop in addition to consoles and require a person to input a key on their console. Why would they have to sell it exclusively through their own channel? They could use exactly the same distribution model they currently use and allow Bungie account licencees to install to whatever level they've purchased and compensate the channels as they do now in addition to unique downloads. [quote]Due to the loss of console players it would cost them 2/3 of their playerbase (assuming all platforms have equal player pools)[/quote] Based on the above point, they wouldn't lose console players, at all. Steam. I don't like Steam at all because of the way their software installs (or did, I haven't used them in ages) and runs on the PC. As an IT professional, uninstalling Steam from devices without the users' password was a royal PITA. I haven't bought a game on Steam in a very long time (years, and years, and years) and won't play a game if it's released on Steam (Civ, I'm looking at you), which is a shame. Also, If I buy a game for the PC, I want it to run on the PC without the storefront I bought it through. The same should also hold for console, as long as it isn't a subscription based game like Game Pass or Sony PlayStation Plus. But to your point about storefronts, It's very convenient for gamers to purchase through store fronts. I do it all the time on Xbox. But the distribution method really doesn't (or shouldn't) have anything to do with the person licencing the product. If I have a Bungie account and purchase a licence to run D2 and whatever expansion, Bungie could allow me to run that on any device if they wanted to. I gurantee you; they could make that happen. But they don't because of the additional revenue they pull in from making people buy the expansions on the disparate devices. Again, I don't disparage Bungie for making that choice. They're in it to make money. But I think it disingenuous or naive to say or think it can't be done.

[quote]When I download an Adobe product, I am downloading it directly from Adobe. Unless you download from an app store, i.e. on an iOS or iPad OS device.[/quote]You are buying the license from Adobe, downloading the app from the store is different. [quote]Not sure why you say this. They sell through third parties such as Target and GameStop in addition to consoles and require a person to input a key on their console. Why would they have to sell it exclusively through their own channel? They could use exactly the same distribution model they currently use and allow Bungie account licencees to install to whatever level they've purchased and compensate the channels as they do now in addition to unique downloads.[/quote] The codes sold at retailers are for the platform, which controls the license. When you buy from gamestop you are buying a STEAM, Xbox, EPiC, or PSN code, for the game. So again, the change you want is for Steam, EPIC and such to lose their revenue. [quote] I gurantee you; they could make that happen. But they don't because of the additional revenue they pull in from making people buy the expansions on the disparate devices.[/quote]They could make it happen, to do so they would have to have their own launcher on pc and still have to pay the consoles, notice that paid games on console are bound to that platform. I never said it could not be done, but it is not realistic to assume any company would do it. Bungie did make a big concession with the season passes, they are one and done with cross save, that was a revenue cut they did not have to take.

Do you think Apple doesn't make any money when someone buys an Adobe licence for Acrobat DC from Adobe and then downloads it also on their iPad? For the licencee, that is a free download. I don't know how much Apple makes to host and serve up the download, but I guarantee you that it's something. All I'm saying is that the buyer would still buy from their distribution channel of choice. Bungie wouldn't have to make it so they are the only way to purchase that licence. I buy my Adobe licences through CDW and can download them on any device. Same with Microsoft 365. Apple's app store still gets revenue from Adobe and Microsoft, albeit less than what they'd get from actually selling that licence through their store front. I could buy from Steam, Xbox, Sony, Walmart, Best Buy, wherever, and Bungie could make it so that I could download it and run it on any console or computer without paying additional. You stipulate that, but your stipulation seems to come with the caveat that it would make the store front channels upset and that's why Bungie doesn't do it? I don't buy that. I think Bungie don't do it because they want the bucks. I'm betting they care much less about the channel. Maybe I'm missing something. Is the issue with the way the game launches on the PC? I guess Steam captures your login info and passes it along to Bungie servers for verification, just as consoles must do. Bungie wouldn't have to change that or have their own launcher, a la Blizzard. They could continue to do so through Steam. In any case, this is all very likely moot. I don't see Bungie making any change in this direction. I'm very glad we can have a civil conversation about it though instead of the usual flame wars. Thank you for that.