Xbox Game Pass, while loved by gamers, is criticized by Raphael Colantonio, one of the founders of Arkane Studios, for its potential harmful effects on the gaming industry. Colantonio highlights in his recent commentary that the subscription model may not be sustainable and poses risks to independent developers.

“I think Gamepass is an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade, subsidized by MS’s ‘infinite money’, but at some point reality has to hit. I don’t think GP can co-exist with other models, they’ll either kill everyone else, or give up.”

• Raphael Colantonio

With Game Pass being central to Microsoft’s strategy, Colantonio emphasizes that while it provides short-term benefits to gamers, it could lead to greater issues down the line, likening its impact to past streaming services where the initial appeal has turned problematic. He mentions that while some have benefited from Game Pass, a close examination reveals concerning outcomes.

Colantonio departed from Arkane Studios before its acquisition by Microsoft and now shares his insights on how Game Pass might shape the future of gaming.