Replaced Dev Praises Xbox For 'Actually Caring About The Indie Market'

I think Microsoft realises that going forward, it's important for them to attract as many indie games to Game Pass as possible in order to fill out the gaps between first-party releases. So in contrast to Sony abandoning indie devs after a generation, I think Microsoft will keep supporting them as long as Game Pass is still here and we know that it won't be going away anytime soon.

@The_New_Butler I think MS are a step on Nintendo gave the platform and is suited to indie games as they’re often not graphically intense. But game pass (rather like Netflix) allows for and importantly funds things that wouldn’t traditionally get made.

Like a few have mentioned, Game Pass gives indie devs the perfect platform.
They get funding, marketing and exposure to a 18m+ subscription pool of gamers.

This game looks super good I can’t wait to play it. Xbox is killing it with the indies, especially with Gamepass. I’m playing Deaths Door and it’s so good, like others have said it’s funny how the care for indies seems to have shifted over the last few years, Sony really have dropped the ball with their support for them.

Going back to about 2005, MS was the first company of the 3 major console manufacturers to promote Indies. I have to agree what they did was great for gamers, in general.

Game Pass is brilliant for indies and Microsoft seems keen to help them all.
But on the other hand PlayStation doesn’t seem interested in them in the slightest, with its main boss declaring people only care about big budget, high scoring, huge AAA games and nothing else. You don’t expect Sony to compete with Game Pass, but when it comes to indies they seem to flat out ignore them and not welcome them? Ryan seems intent on undoing any work the previous leadership team did building up relationships with indies. IMO it’s a big fat W for Microsoft and Nintendo some ways, and a huge massive L for Sony which they don’t seem to care less about and in fact encourage?

@LtSarge I think that MS understand that ALL games are important - not just AAA Devs making AAA games that 'compete' for Game of the Year awards and also not overly bothered about 'Metacritic' scores to determine whether or not that Franchise will continue.

I also think that MS don't need to rely on 'Indies' to make up for a shortfall in First Party releases. They can't be 'ignorant' to the perceived 'Xbox has no Games' dialogue over the past 5+ years and would know that AAA games are the 'system' sellers for a LOT of gamers. They have put their money into building up a portfolio of Studio's to deliver First Party games instead of buying too many 3rd Party exclusivity deals and this year, also seeing them put 'money' into getting 3rd Party Publishers on to Game Pass day and date.

Part of that I think comes down to Phil Spencer who enjoys playing all games regardless and a lot of Indies are perfectly suited to on the go 'Game Pass' games too. If MS were only bulking up their releases with Indies to make up for a 'lack' of first party software, then they would be scaling that back too - with 4 first Party games coming in the next few months and a 'growing' list of titles in development due in the next few years too...

@BAMozzy First-party games won't be releasing every week, right? So what will you be playing when you have to wait 3-4 months between each first-party title? That's what I'm trying to get at, Microsoft realises that in order to make Game Pass more attractive and keep people continuously subscribed to the service, it's literally impossible to only rely on first-party releases because they can only release so many per year. After a first-party title has come out, then it's up them to provide us with indie games (as well as other AAA games of course) to keep us busy while we wait for the next first-party game. Otherwise people will start unsubscribing from Game Pass and only subscribe whenever a new first-party title is released. Their whole strategy is to keep people subscribed and in order to do that, other games will need to come out in the meantime.

I personally think that indie games are important for Game Pass because there will always be more indie games coming out than AAA/first-party titles. By securing more indie games, Game Pass will have more games in general and therefore customer satisfaction will increase, which means more people staying subscribed to the service.

Played so many indies I wouldn't have otherwise thanks to Game Pass. Outer Wilds, for example, and that's one of my favorite games of all time now.

I spend more time playing indies than 'AAA' games these days. Playing through Deaths Door at the minute (just started the forest area) and it is an absolute treat. I have no idea how the rest of the game is yet, but, based on what I have played, I feel like if you replaced the crow with Link it would get 10/10's across the board (and I say this as a huge Zelda fan).

Xbox's approach to indies has always been great since Xbox Live Arcade was a thing. Just strengthening it now with Game Pass.

They have the happy medium. Nintendo overdo it (eshop is full of a lot of shovelware) Sony seem to have narrowed their indie reach to a select few (tbf those select few treated really well but I dont get their approach with that) Microsoft have hit that perfect middle ground and Game Pass provides great exposure.

@SplooshDmg
Wouldn't shock me if they are at 25m+ subscribers by now.

@Jey887 that’s a really good point. I’m up to the same part as you and it’s been great so far. The best Zelda game I’ve played since Wind Waker 😂 my favourite. The boss battles have been so much fun!

Yea Microsoft has always been a good platform for indies, at least from what I can see.

I used to be so excited each week for Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays! It was cool to see what new game or 2 was releasing that week. Kind of like the excitement of Nintendo adding games to it’s Wii Virtual Console each week. Good times.

@LtSarge Of course MS are not releasing first party games every week but Game Pass itself doesn't necessarily need 'new' releases every week. Game Pass can add games from 2 decades of releases from any publisher and, as games like Outriders, MLB21, Back4Blood etc are also 'big wins' for MS.

Having to pay (up to) £70 to play on PS5 compared to *free on Game Pass is a massive 'win' without having to fund a 3+yr development cost. In the same way people look at 'Xbox' as having 'no' games because of a lack of first Party AAA games - particularly those scoring high critically, then people will look at Game Pass as being 'less' impressive if it was just being filled with 'indies'. All you have to do is look and see how people react to being given indies 'free' via Games with Gold or PS+.

I can see your PoV though - having more 'new' games coming day and date is still important to MS's Game Pass growth and if they can get a few every month, whether first party or not, whether Indie or AAA, its still important. In theory though, that should be the same for all platform manufacturers. If its 'important' to keep people engaged in Game Pass, its important to keep them engaged on a Platform.

I think the difference though is that Phil appreciates 'games' regardless of the budget, size of team etc where as Jim Ryan seems more focused on the Business side. Its clear that Sony will support certain Indies - Kena for example - but I feel they are going to be more interested in games that they think will be commercial primarily and/or critical successes. Phil seems more inclined to help devs reach their potential regardless and Sony want to 'control' what games release on their platform. We see that with censorship, with 'hoops' indies have to jump through and the lack of support 'some' feel they get from Sony Support - which is really what this article is about.