Game Pass has been hailed as a revolutionary subscription service that lets players access a vast library of games for a fraction of the cost. But beneath the surface, it’s a different story. Despite its appeal to gamers, Xbox’s reliance on Game Pass is crippling the very developers who make those games.
In fact, Microsoft has begun its fourth round of layoffs in 18 months, with as many as four percent of its workforce cut. This includes the shutdown of The Initiative, which was working on a Perfect Dark remake, and Everwild, a beautiful action-adventure game that Rare had been developing for decade.
Even esteemed developers like John Romero have seen their projects cancelled due to layoffs. Meanwhile, Xbox has continued to invest in new games and studios, despite its own financial struggles.
So why did Microsoft’s Game Pass become so popular with gamers? The answer lies not with the service itself, but with Microsoft’s marketing strategy. By positioning Xbox as the “good guys” of the console war, Microsoft created a perception that it was a supporter of developers. But this is nothing more than a cynical ploy to lure in customers.
The truth is, Game Pass is unsustainable for its own business model. It may be great for players, but it’s a recipe for disaster for developers. As such, we must reconsider our loyalty to Xbox and reassess how we spend our gaming budgets.
One solution is to support indie developers directly. By launching the careers of emerging studios and propelling niche games to award ceremonies, we can help those who have been unfairly cast aside by Microsoft’s failed experiment. Our wallets hold the power – let us wield it wisely.
Source: https://www.thegamer.com/xbox-game-pass-cancel-layoffs