Former Playstation Worldwide Studio's chairman Shawn Layden has recently criticized gaming bonds models as Xbox Game Pass. The former Sony -executive director defended the view that Xbox Game Pass and services with similar business models are harmful to the industry, which negatively affects companies and developers.
It is no secret that the Xbox Game Pass is one of the most successful subscription services in the gaming industry. Reports indicate that the Xbox Game Pass currently has over 35 million subscribers, which have a decrease in growth in recent years, but remains massively important to Microsoft. Criticism of the business model has intensified after Microsoft's latest layoffs, which affected several studios, such as Raven Software, Turn 10 Studios and Rare.
Former Playstation -Manager Shawn Layden thinks Game Pass is bad for the gaming industry
Now the former Playstation manager Shawn Layden has blown the Xbox Game Pass and similar services in an interview with gameindarustry.biz, which indicates that it stimulates a new normal where people are unwilling to pay for games. According to Layden, the idea of “Netflix of Gaming” is dangerous, because he quoted Spotify as part of the reason why people no longer buy music. The CEO was particularly tough with day-one games that were launched through subscription services, which he considers “bad for the business.”
Layden, who recently criticized the Xbox Game Pass, made by developer Raphael Colantonio, also talked about the Xbox Game Pass' profitability. “Is Game Pass profitable? Is Game Pass not profitable? What does that mean?” he asked. Layden also continued to say that it is possible to do “all types of financial Jiggery-Pokery” to serve the service to look better for the company, but Game Pass is not healthy for the developers. According to Exec, developers who work to start games are paid in a subscription model mainly “slave salary.”
Despite the criticism, the Xbox Game Pass is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Reports also indicate that the Xbox Game Pass is seen as profitable by Microsoft, even though they cost the sale of first lot of titles. Strategies such as increasing the price of subscriptions and releasing first -party games on platforms such as PS5 has probably also helped.
In any case, it is difficult to completely evaluate the gaming pass in the gaming industry. Back 2022 said ObSidian Entertainment developer Josh Sawyer it Pentiment Would not exist without the Xbox Game Pass, for example, so there will always be different opinions on the issue. What the Xbox fans can hope for is that the model will prove sustainable over the years without damaging the industry, but only time will tell how Microsoft will continue to manage its popular service.
