Overview
- Microsoft is reviewing Game Pass and, according to reporting from The Verge, is considering a new tier that would include only games from its own Xbox studios.
- Executives are also debating whether to stop adding new Call of Duty releases to Game Pass on launch day, after Black Ops 6’s day-one debut was reported to have cost about $300 million in lost sales.
- Other options under discussion include an ad-supported cloud gaming tier that trades short ads for access and broader bundles with third-party services, with Netflix’s leadership confirming recent talks about ideas.
- No changes have been announced, and Microsoft has not updated Game Pass’s last public figure of 34 million paying subscribers in two years.
- Industry veterans warn about the service’s long-term economics, with Shawn Layden calling the outlook grim and Pete Hines cautioning that the model must better balance subscriber value with fair returns for game makers.