It's possible that Microsoft hasn't been signing contracts with third-party developers who wish to add games to the Game Pass subscription for some time. At least, that's what claims Fernando Rizo, former sales director at Raw Fury and now a partner at Caboodle Games.
Rizo shared his thoughts on the possible freeze of deals with Game Pass during The Business of Video Games podcast, which he hosts alongside Shams Jorjani, the head of Arrowhead Studios.
According to Rizo, in mid-June, he attended the First Playable conference in Italy, where he talked to various developers. He mentioned that many of them recently had their collaborations with Game Pass fall through, with some negotiations being at an advanced stage. None of his interlocutors were able to finalize a contract with Microsoft.
Rizo emphasized that this does not signal the downfall of Game Pass, so there’s no need to give up on the subscription. In his view, what's happening is merely a pause, and after some time, Microsoft will again actively collaborate with developers. The manager believes the freeze in deals is likely related to a change in the XBOX leadership, which is currently reviewing business processes.
Microsoft itself has not commented on the rumors.