Xbox Game Pass is a big service for Microsoft. It has been widely advertised and promoted as a means to enjoy the latest games on almost anything. Microsoft’s latest campaign to highlight the Xbox Game Pass as accessible on consoles, PCs, Smart TVs, and more has garnered considerable attention from the community. However, did Microsoft make some bad moves that they are currently stuck delivering good on? Recently, a former PlayStation executive expressed concerns about Microsoft’s current subscription service model, suggesting it is not in a healthy position.
If you don’t recall Shuhei Yoshida by name, he was a key member of Sony’s PlayStation team. Yoshida was one of the first members to be attached to the PlayStation project, dating back to 1993. However, beyond that, he’s stepped into the role of President of SIE Worldwide Studios for Sony Interactive Entertainment from 2008 through 2019. He has since stepped away from Sony, retiring earlier this year.
Speaking to Game Developer, Yoshida was asked about Xbox Game Pass, in which he noted that he does have some bias towards PlayStation. However, he doesn’t feel that Xbox is in a healthy spot with its Xbox Game Pass model. That’s mainly due to the promise of having first-party games available at launch.
I believe the way Sony approached [subscriptions] is healthier. You know, not to overpromise and to allow people to spend money to buy the new games. After a couple of years there won’t be many people willing to buy those games at that initial price, so they’ll be added to the subscription service and there’ll be more people to try [those products] in time for the next game in the franchise to come out. – Shuhei Yoshida
Sony does something slightly similar. However, rather than making their first-party games available through the subscription service immediately, they opt to ensure they are available for a limited duration as a premium game to purchase. It’s only after that Sony feels most people who are interested in the game would have already bought a copy that they move them to their PlayStation Plus service. By opting for the subscription service route, they can gain more attention for the franchise and potentially earn more sales with the next game installment.
Of course, fans have been enjoying the Xbox Game Pass a little more now than usual, I’m sure with games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, and Doom: The Dark Ages, to name just a few, being readily available on the service right now.
