The latest news on the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard deal from regulatory bodies around the world gave fans a solid hope that the company's prized games might soon make it to Game Pass. After all, if heavy hitters like Diablo and Call of Duty appeared on Microsoft's subscription service, analysts believe the subscription figures could explode. However, speaking to Rolling Stone, Xbox corporate vice president Sarah Bond said the true value of Game Pass lies in the depth and breadth of its portfolio rather than any single acquisition.
We’ve been very clear about our commitment to have our first-party portfolio shipping to Game Pass day and date. We understand that people really value that, but it’s also about diversity of content. It’s not really about any one acquisition. It’s about the depth and breadth of the portfolio all up; from big triple-A games to indie titles to hidden gems. That’s actually what makes Game Pass really valuable.
It could be argued that purchasing one of the biggest third-party publishers is a great way to increase both the depth and breadth of said portfolio. Needless to say, it would make a huge difference, and there's a chance Microsoft might also increase the subscription service's price; they've already removed the long-standing $1 new user promotion. On the other hand, the company is also testing a Friends and Family option that might be advantageous for large groups of relatives and friends.
In the Rolling Stone interview, Sarah Bond also talked about the way Game Pass influences game development.
Game Pass is an option for developers. One thing that we talk a lot about internally but I’ve been striving to share more externally is the business model associated with a game has an endemic link to the nature of the gameplay. We invest a lot of time in how we introduce more business model diversity; how we create more options. We talk a lot about Game Pass because subscription is the latest option that we scaled: you have pay-to-play, then there was free-to-play, and then we introduced Game Pass.
We’ve talked about how we’re experimenting with other models, like what does it mean for advertising in games which is more prevalent in mobile – are there models of that that work well in PC and console? Are there other models where you might have timed slices of games and stuff like that? Providing creators with options and choice enables them to experiment and do what they like, and actually create more immersive and creative experiences without having to fit into a mould.
One recent example of that is certainly Obsidian's Pentiment, which might have never been made without Microsoft's help and the existence of Game Pass.
Elsewhere in her interview with Rolling Stone, Bond also commented on the announcement-release combo that did wonders for Hi-Fi Rush. As many had suspected, it was a case-by-case decision, so it won't necessarily be repeated any time soon. For more on Hi-Fi Rush, check out our freshly published post-launch interview with John Johanas.
Lastly, Sarah Bond said the advent of AI could massively democratize game development. Just yesterday we covered a new generative AI tool that quickly creates hundreds of unique NPCs, and of course, Microsoft could do so much more thanks to its investment in ChatGPT. Just imagine an RPG where you actually speak with non-player characters in a freeform fashion to get a unique experience every time. It may take a while, but we'll get there.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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