Overview
- New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma replied on LinkedIn to Shawn Layden, saying she would "love to chat sometime" about his concerns over Game Pass.
- Layden, the former PlayStation boss, called the service "unfavorable" with a "grim prognosis" and said a "clarifying post mortem" would help the industry.
- A leaked memo attributed to Sharma said Game Pass is central to Xbox yet "too expensive" in the short term and will evolve into a more flexible model over time.
- Microsoft has not announced changes to pricing, tiers, or day‑one release rules, though Sharma has said she is reviewing how to improve value for players.
- Industry figures argue that launching big-budget games on the service on day one can lower full-price sales, with one gaming CFO warning it makes profits on major franchises hard to achieve.