Xbox Game Pass was a good idea in theory, former Forza Horizon 5 director says, but "the reality is not enough people have subscribed"
Former Forza Horizon 5 director Mike Brown suggests that Xbox Game Pass failed to reach the subscriber numbers necessary to sustain Microsoft's aggressive studio acquisition strategy. He notes that while the service is a good concept, the financial reality has led to layoffs and studio closures.
Why it matters
The comments highlight the ongoing sustainability challenges of subscription-based models in the high-budget gaming industry.
Brown, who's now leading development on open-world racer Clutch at newly founded studio Maverick Games, was asked by MinnMax about the restructuring at Xbox, which led to a massive round of layoffs and divestiture of some of its studios .
Brown turned his attention to Game Pass and said that he believes they (Xbox) "invested a fortune in the concept of Game Pass as a service, which led to loads of teams being acquired, loads of games being funded, loads of people getting jobs, all with a vision of getting regular games landing in this service for players".
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