Raphael Colantonio, founder of Arkane Studios, has voiced concerns about the long-term viability of Xbox Game Pass, calling it “unsustainable.” His comments come after recent layoffs within Xbox and its parent company, Microsoft.
Colantonio, now head of Wolfeye Studios, sees Game Pass as a potential hindrance to traditional game sales. He highlighted the subscription service as “the elephant in the room” impacting the industry. While not directly blaming Game Pass for the layoffs, he implies it contributes to an unstable financial model for game development.
His statement raises questions about the sustainability of subscription-based gaming services and their effect on traditional game sales revenue, particularly within the Xbox ecosystem. Colantonio’s experience provides a valuable perspective on the potential challenges facing developers in the age of Game Pass.
