The CEO of Moon Studios, Thomas Mahler, shared his thoughts on Game Pass and why, in his opinion, the subscription hasn't succeeded on social network X.
No Rest for the Wicked
In his tweet, Mahler criticized Microsoft's business strategy — in the past, the corporation actively acquired game studios to consistently supply Game Pass with content. However, it is now forced to tighten its belt and disband teams. According to the head of Moon Studios, while the idea could have worked, and Game Pass could have become a great service, it lacked one key element — truly blockbuster games haven't been added to the subscription catalog over the years.
Mahler believes that Game Pass needed not just good games for success, but mega-hits. Projects whose release would become a cultural event. Moreover, it's important that new releases significantly outshine their predecessors in quality.
Mahler added that it's not too late for Microsoft to make amends. To do this, they need to learn how to discern quality games rather than support an assembly line of mediocre projects. He is convinced that making "good deals" with talented developers can help the corporation in this endeavor.
“In a way, Game Pass is somewhat like communism. And just like in communism, if you don’t give people a compelling reason to roll up their sleeves and work harder than usual, they won't do it. If you fail to ensure the necessary level of quality, the whole system begins to crumble. Gamers won't pay unless you essentially compel them by presenting content so good, they feel they are missing out without engaging with it,” Mahler concluded.