Game Pass – Microsoft’s subscription service across Xbox and PC that offers members a catalogue of games and other perks – is “unsustainable” and “damaging” the industry.
That’s according to Arkane Studios founder Raphael Colantonio, who shared his thoughts on “the elephant in the room” following last week’s layoffs at Microsoft. That elephant? Game Pass.
“I think Game Pass is an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade, subsidised by [Microsoft’s] ‘infinite money’, but at some point reality has to hit,” Colantonio, whose works include Dishonored and Prey, wrote on social media.
“I don’t think [Game Pass] can co-exist with other models, they’ll either kill everyone else, or give up.”
Colantonio’s observations were spotted by Larian’s director of publishing Michael Douse, who said the “most vocal concern” from within his own network was: “What happens when all that money runs out?”
Douse said this was “one of the main economic reasons people I know haven’t shifted to its business model”, stating “the infinite money thing never made any sense”. In response, Colantonio said he agreed with Douse, adding: “I’m fed up with all the bs they fed us at first like ‘don’t worry, it doesn’t impact the sales’, only to admit years later that it totally does.”
The duo spoke about the “cannibalisation” of sales, with Douse stating that he recognised that for “smaller teams with new or riskier” titles, getting their game onto Game Pass does help minimise a certain level of risk. However, he personally favours “Sony’s ‘lifecycle management'” way of doing things.
“Yeah, the only way [Game Pass] can co-exist without hurting everyone is for the back catalogue,” Colantonio replied.
In a separate exchange following his initial post, Colantonio said he could appreciate why gamers like Microsoft’s subscription model, calling it a “great deal” for consumers. However, “the maths don’t work for [Game Pass], it only works because [Microsoft] injects billions into it to make it a good deal for the players… for now”.
The Arkane Studios founder closed: “That’s only my opinion, I’m respectful, be respectful.”
Last week, Microsoft laid off in excess of 9000 employees across the company, with Perfect Dark studio The Initiative shut down and games such as Rare’s Everwild cancelled.
In the time since, Joanna Dark actor Alix Wilton Regan has implored fans to use their voices to save Perfect Dark.