@Weebleman Of course you are.

Just apply the Game Pass is sustainable business model to your life.

Then, you too can be a millionaire!

@Weebleman Pretty sure the person used that argument with me before.

This time I felt very compelled to type up explaining the insanity of that mindset.

Please see my complete wall of text above.

@VisitingComet1 It's totally sustainable? Riiiiight. Please. Pause. Then stop. Pause again. Then and only then, think about what you are saying. I'm sorry but everyone trying use this argument really need to see how asinine and counterintuitive it truly is.

OK, let's use your example. Avowed "sells" 3 million copies. It sold for $70 on launch day. 3,000,000 x $70 = $210,000,000.

Did it generate $210 million on game pass? Heck no. Not even close. But let's keep going with your example, which is straight up $210 million dollars lost in sales. Gone. Nothing on company's ledgers. Very conceivable that by NOT being on game pass, it might saved that studio. Even just half those sales in $105 million probably saves the studio.

Let's further your example. $30 for game pass ultimate (think that's price? It changes every other day). $210 million / $30 = 7,000,000 million subscribers for one month ONLY playing Avowed. Or people only played little bit,but played other games too. So that's not even taking into account those percentages of game pass revenue pie needing to be divided up for other games in service. Let's say, 5 hours of play time equals $5. Granted I do not know, but am going on record 5 hours for $5 of percentage of game pass revenue pie is being VERY generous. So $210 million / $5 = 42,000,000 subscribers.

Hopefully any sane person can agree playing 5 hours on game pass that represents drop in bucket of percentage to game pass revenue pie versus the person that BOUGHT the game, played 5 hours which instead brought in $105 million - $210 million in sales. It is painfully obvious that being on game pass closed the studio.

It's simple math. Please let's put this, "game pass is sustainable business model" to bed. It isn't. It just isn't people. If it was, the game pass price would not change like every day and 50 different tiers trying to come into existence.

And further my point. Let's ignore everything I just typed in. Is GTA6 launching on game pass since it's such a great money making thing for the developer?

No. No, it's not.

And why? Because it would lose money.....and play a role in Rockstar's future downfall.

Game pass at best is for AA (honestly, probably just single A) game developers.

Again, rebrand it Indie Pass and be done with it.

"Adding CoD simply ate up most of Xbox CoD sales without actually expanding the subscriber base."

I've been saying that for years. Game Pass is simply not a sustainable business model at all. Game pass cannibalizes sales and honestly what led to lot these studios closing or out of Microsoft. Unless crank it to $50-$60 a month which very few will want to, or be able to pay.

But, this is really going outside the box, but rebrand it Indie Pass, charge the $30 a month, and have only indie games. That might be work for couple more years or so.

Clicked on the link. Looked at the list.

A LOT of games on that web page said not for purchase but are available for purchase?

"We’re making progress, with a lot more layoffs to make way for souless, useless, unwanted AI ahead."

Fixed it up more.

Asha I'm still not feeling good about yet. At all. Still I'll give her a year before really coming down on or praising.

Sadly, Greenawalt is reason Forza Motorsport is in shape its in today. It seemed to me, at least, he in no way did anything to help progress the series for the better.

They really needed to cleanup the online multiplayer issues. Such as people ramming cars out the gate. That turned me off sooooooo much to ever play online.

And I would logged lot hours of multiplayer if was actually fair and fun.

Lmao. More obvious every day just how desperate game pass is to just try and stay alive.

@HelloCraigo You and many others should "been all-in on physical media" all along.

Then all of us probably not be in this messy sorry state of affairs rubbish we're in now.

And, yes, I did read the entire article. But it's too little, too late. Regret from the world will be good article to write in the sorrowful times to come.

@8th_Observer I love hearing that counterpoint. Oh, happens in the office too.

Who's watching employees at the office? Other employees, supervisors, possibly customers, etc. The convenient "lunch break" excuse pattern will eventually be caught and handled. Because that employee is in the office. When "working" from home. No one is able see what aren't or are doing.

I find the ones that fight back about returning to office so fiercely are the very ones that do not or want to work. Use "working" from home as ready easy to screw off and get paid.

I really enjoy articles like this that break down all the sale info in easy to find and understand way.

VERY appreciated.

I FIRMLY believe employees should be in the office. Too many "work" from home jyst really aren't working. They're shopping, doing housework, playing with pets, etc. Anything but working.

Hope it fixes the legacy issue I have with CDPR.

Their font and UI system for inventory and quest management is TERRIBLE! Too small. Not intuitive. Really leaves me quitting or if game due to frustration.

Shame because really think I'd enjoy Witcher and cyberpunk.

Comments incoming of, oh I'm not buying now since it's Windows involved. Or, keep Windows out my gaming!

@Nakatomi_Uk Anthem had HUGE potential. If they had time to fix or Anthem 2. It been new exciting franchise. I truly believe that

Wow. That is disappointing beyond words.

@BacklogBrad Innovation is making, creating things. Putting eggs into basket by following and chasing a fad is another thing.

Playing copycat with what other tech companies doing is, again, not innovation. Every bank thought was wonderful to give out subprime mortgages and offer the paperboy $400k mortgage.

That worked out real well with banks playing copycat and government bailed out many banks when they failed. Which I disagree with, then and now.

You will see this AI fad bubble pop in very near future. I'd say in 5-7 years. The point of diminishing returns on the way. You will see lot of people, lose A LOT of money from it.

Google lost estimated $400+ million over Stadia. Luckily that collapse was fast before nadella jumped into it since his love for the cloud goes back years. He would ABSOLUTELY had Microsoft losing as much or more jumping headfirst into that. Even cloud gaming at Microsoft is a failure. I'd bet he pushed hard for that, despite many people saying, hey nadella the interest and infrastructure just not there for that.

Trust me. When nadella finally unable escape the failure train he has Microsoft on and gets exposed. You'll be like, you know that guy in Xbox forums was spot on. Just didn't see it then.

@BacklogBrad And to actually dive into your example further nadella most likely had benefit of the tech stock surge.

Google in 2014? $27.83.

Google today? $330.87.

Please stop thinking nadella is some savior or corporate messiah. Nadella is not.

Nadella is on borrowed time.

@BacklogBrad I love, just love, love, LOVE, when people throw out this retort thinking it's a mic drop moment.

Tomorrow Microsoft could be at $20 creating a tremendous, and company destroying loss. And with how nadella is running Microsoft by putting far too many eggs in too few baskets, such as cloud, and too much AI, not mention how he is forcing everything possible to be unnecessary and overpriced subscriptions.

He is only moment away of being the person that made Microsoft collapse into nothingness and those very same investors out with pitchforks and torches calling for his head.

Nadella stopped ALL innovation within Microsoft in total favor of the above. That is not going to last or keep Microsoft going forever. It is a recipe for eventual in failure.

@strzelec Agree. Glad you said it.

@BacklogBrad Actually, Xbox would be better off without nadella.

Microsoft would be better off....

No, the world would be better off without nadella.

@John5alive Absolutely love see that game return.

Chris Hardwick always seems to be looking for work. Could easily see him signing up for while to host the show.

"Asha Sharma insisted Xbox isn't for sale...."

Until it is.

Sounds like basically bringing Xbox Live back? Option for multiplayer only?

If so, that supports what I've been saying for years - - game pass is failed, unsustainable, business model, that was a mistake the moment even thought of.

.....and it BETTER have an INTERNAL disc drive. Not negotiable.

@WhiteAzn And you are a much smarter person for making that incredibly intelligent decision.

Only hope rest of the world decides to showcase same brilliance.

@Fallingshadow That is really great information. I did not know that.

@Bionic-Spencer "Moving to exclusives won’t benefit anyone really."

Hasn't hurt Playstation much at all.

But any games exclusive to Playstation I'll never play. Will NEVER buy Playstation now due to no discs and the Playstation controller is incredibly uncomfortable and inferior to Xbox controller.

Were few spots also that allowed mention if displeasure over all digital.

Absolutely made sure to mention that if no internal disc drive it's no buy for me. Not negotiable at all.

Series S having issues with a game? Really? Say it isn't so? No one should be surprised by this least bit.

In other news, water is wet, fire is hot, the pope wears a cross.

Bummer. Nothing interests me this week.

@PWR3700 Exactly!!!

This is all nadella. Needs to resign or be forced out. Nadella only cares about cloud, forcing everything possible to be unnecessary and overpriced subscriptions, and too much AI. Nadella has stifled any innovation within Microsoft.

@Balaam_ I'm probably in the minority here. But I think if they decided to make Redfall 2 (and not rushed it out) the franchise could be saved and moved in positive direction.

Good co-op shooters are important to have. Lot of fun, eat some pizza, crack open some cold ones on Friday night with some online friends.

Asha Sharma Tells Employees That Xbox Won't Survive By 'Only' Relying On the failed business model known as Game Pass.

There, I fixed it up little better.

The best technique for development on Series S, is not have that mistake of console to ever begin with.

But at least can say good thing game pass didn't cannibalize all the series sales.

Oh......wait.....

Granted, I've never played any game in the series.

Just had no interest. Seemed like game was just extreme close ups of actor making faces into camera.

Didn't appeal to me.

"Are you going to have a subscription service? If you're going to do that, are you expecting people are going to buy content when they can get it on a subscription service anyway? How are you going to square that circle and try to make the math work?"

That. Right. There.

I've said it for years! And it is absolutely one of biggest reasons Xbox is in shape its in. Especially with all the studio closures.

Game Pass done more long term damage to Xbox than success. Even trying to debate that is foolish.

@Kilamanjaro That Bungie no longer exists today. Honestly it's not even same company. Just in name only.

Honestly I think the downfall started after not evolving with halo 4 multiplayer.

I'm one of few. But I LOVED big team battle in halo 4. To this day it's the ONLY halo multiplayer I enjoyed.

All the sweaties didn't have skill to go 42-0. So they cried so very hard and that important evolution of halo multiplayer was stopped.

Halo needs to grow and change. Infinite campaign I enjoyed all the changes. It's not 2001 anymore.

And that's for better.....and worse.

@RTGX Nadella is and always been incredibly detrimental to Microsoft.

He halts any innovation. Only cares about AI, cloud, and making anything and everything an extremely unnecessary and ridiculously overpriced subscription.

@TheSimulator Good luck with that powerful machine.

Having the most powerful machine means nothing. Vast majority of developers will only develop for lowest common denominator. It's like buying a Lamborghini just to only drive in school zone.

This is exactly why Series X been held back all this generation because Series S.

'Xbox Is Not For Sale....but every Xbox developer is'

Fixed headline for everyone.

Not think I've found answers to these?

What if I claim digital license, loan game to friend for week, then get disc back. Do I need reinsert disc to play again? Mandatory to acquire digital license again? Does my friend still have digital license from that disc?

Keeping physical media and avoiding all digital world solves these issues. All digital is going be such huge issue. Many, many, many, people will absolutely grow to regret it.

Tried to play it years ago when game out. Struggled with it.

Not sure if they ever fixed it. But it suffers from what all CDPR games suffer from (cyberpunk, as well). The inventory system, the quest tracking system, etc, are always so cluttered, not intuitive, small font.

Just an over all headache.

@NeoRatt 3) Satya Nadella. Adapted MS to the new world order and managed to save the empire.

Completely disagree with that. Nadella severely weakened Microsoft. He ONLY cares about cloud, AI, and making anything and everything an incredibly unnecessary, overpriced subscription.

Too many eggs in too few baskets. If any tank or lose drastic amounts of money, Microsoft is severe trouble.

@AverageGamer "They tried that… and no one came".

Actually.....

They tried that… and game pass came .... and cannibalized majority of important game sales.

Game pass destroyed Xbox. Shame more people not see it.

@TrollOfWar Make games at reasonable price not really that hard. Just need be smart and trim costs sensibly.

Just amount of money they pay voice actors is ridiculous. Straight ridiculous. I would absolutely do as good of job or better for like half or less what paying now.

Any developer not believe me? Try me. Invite me out to record. You'd see immediately.

@fizban3332 A new Shadowrun have been awesome!

But I'm wanting more another FPS Shadowrun. I've said it since the 360 days that it was the most fun, best balanced, incredible FPS experience ever made.

If could make a sequel just as good or even remake the game, I'd pre-order it in second.

Sorry. But EVERY time I see that stallion guy I laugh. Has absolutely no life. And way he cried when major Nelson gave him that lifetime Xbox Live card was hysterical. Even more so now with how game pass ruined Xbox Live and Xbox itself.

And this is coming from day one Xbox lifer that has no life at all outside of work. Would absolutely cringe if saw the amount of hours I've put on Xbox in 25 years.

But stallion still makes me look like playboy.