Arkane founder Raphaël Colantonio has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Microsoft’s Game Pass, criticizing its impact on the gaming industry. Colantonio, who co-directed Dishonored and was previously the president of Microsoft-owned Arkane Studios, claims that Game Pass is an unsustainable model that has been damaging the industry for a decade.
Colantonio believes that Game Pass will eventually collapse under the weight of reality, as it cannot coexist with other models. He argues that the service’s focus on throwing money at games to make them more appealing has had negative effects, causing gamers to eventually turn against it when they realize its impact.
The comments come amidst Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs and studio closures, which have seen some popular games cancelled or slashed. Colantonio is not alone in his criticism, with some studio heads claiming that Game Pass has been a success for certain titles.
In contrast, Xbox has stated that the number of hours played on its platforms continues to grow, partly due to Game Pass. However, it remains to be seen whether this growth can sustain itself in the long term.
Source: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/arkane-founder-slams-game-pass-following-microsoft-cuts-why-is-no-one-talking-about-the-elephant-in-the-room