Indie Studio Founder Says Xbox Game Pass Relieves Pressure From Devs

Xbox Game Pass has been making headlines because of the scrutiny Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision is receiving. Fans and regulators alike have been giving their views about the subscription service and its effect on gaming. But, the opinion that holds the most significance in this matter is that of developers.

Mike Rose, the founder of indie publisher No More Robots, has said that the Game Pass helps alleviate a lot of pressure for developers. Furthermore, Rose also mentioned how he tries to get every game the studio publishes on the service. In doing so, every title he publishes is a success, meaning the Game Pass is good for indie studios.

All I can say is, we're aiming to get every single title we publish from now on, onto Game Pass. In doing so, we'll secure success for each title, and relieve immense pressure for the devs

But please gamers, continue to explain why it's bad for us

— Mike Rose (@RaveofRavendale) February 15, 2023

In the past week or so, the discourse around the Microsoft-Activision deal has moved on to the Xbox Game Pass. Contrary to previous statements, the company admitted that the subscription service does cannibalize game sales. Putting new releases on the Game Pass leads to a decline in sales.

This new info from Microsoft directly contradicts what Phil Spencer said back in 2018. He claimed that putting games on the Xbox Game Pass will lead to more sales. But, that is seemingly not the case according to the company itself as the service reduces base game sales.

Even Activision is averse to putting titles on the Xbox Game Pass due to this aspect, says the report. New major AAA buy-to-play releases sell like hotcakes, but the subscription prevents that. As a result, many have now formed the opinion that the service is good for gamers, but bad for gaming.

However, this whole view is based on AAA studios whose IPs are already popular franchises. We will see the Xbox Game Pass in a different light if we take indie developers who don’t have a platform into account. And, that’s exactly what the founder of one indie publisher is trying to tell gamers.

In a tweet from his account, the Director of the publishing studio No More Robots explained how the service benefits them. Mike Rose said that he aims to put every single title the studio publishes on the Xbox Game Pass. This is because by getting new indie titles on the service, their success is insured.

When you look at how 25 million people own an Xbox Game Pass subscription, this does make sense. Moreover, putting games on the service also “relieves immense pressure” from indie developers. Instead of worrying about how the game will perform, the devs know they now have an audience.

Hence, the Xbox Game Pass is very beneficial for indie studios according to Mike Rose. No More Robots is popular for publishing games like Descenders and Not Tonight. It has released some acclaimed indie titles since its inception in 2017.

So, the opinion of the studio’s founder probably depicts what the wider indie gaming community thinks about the service. For sure, Xbox Game Pass does not help the sales of AAA titles like Call of Duty that already have an audience. But, it is a lifeline for good indie games that need a platform to shine.

It is really interesting how the service is viewed from two opposing lenses. Day one launches on the Xbox Game Pass may be a problem for AAA studios, but they promise success for indie developers. What are your thoughts on the matter? Tell us in the comments below.