Xbox Pauses New Third-Party Game Pass Deals
Xbox has reportedly halted new third-party deals for its Game Pass subscription service. This pause comes as the company reassesses its gaming business strategy. Industry veterans suggest this move impacts future game availability on the service.
Coverage across 3 outlets
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
Activision is promoting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 by highlighting that it will not be available on Game Pass. Xbox has reportedly paused new third-party deals for Game Pass, impacting the availability of games on the subscription service.
"Everybody got the rug pulled out from under them": Xbox are putting third-party Game Pass deals "on pause", claims publishing veteran
Industry veteran Fernando Rizo claims that Microsoft has put a pause on new third-party deals for Xbox Game Pass as the company reassesses its gaming business strategy. This alleged halt comes as Microsoft's financial year ends and follows decisions to reduce the price and remove day-one Call of Duty releases from the service. While Rizo believes Game Pass is not over, he suggests a hiatus on new third-party acquisitions is likely.
Xbox reportedly stops signing third-party Game Pass deals
Xbox has reportedly halted new third-party deals for Game Pass, with sources indicating that developers were informed of a pause in negotiations. This decision comes as new Xbox boss Asha Sharma assesses the company's strategy following significant acquisitions and a recent price increase on consoles. While the future of third-party content on Game Pass is uncertain, the service remains a key component of Xbox's business model.
