Thanks to reporting from GameDeveloper.com, we know what Guy Richards, Global Director of ID@Xbox, said during a panel at the London Games Festival titled Cracking the Discovery Code.
The panel featured guests including Cassia Curran, Emily Britt, Rob Hewson, and Guy Richards.
While I was not there in person, as mentioned, GameDeveloper.com attended the panel and reported on what was said and well Richards had some notable comments about the impact Xbox Game Pass has on games.
According to Guy Richards, Xbox Game Pass acts as a growth driver for games. It boosts visibility and gives titles access to millions of players who might not otherwise engage with them. He explained:
“One of the great benefits of launching into Game Pass on day one is the discovery that comes with it. There's millions of players that will be able to play that game from when it launches, and that can really create a viral, snowball effect moment around your launch.”
Richards went on to say that this effect is not limited to Xbox alone. He believes the added visibility carries over to other platforms as well:
It means more players talking about that game to their friends. More people may buy or play that game within the Xbox platform. But we also see that, typically, games that are launching day one into Game Pass tend to do very well on other platforms as well
Guy Richards - Global Director of ID@Xbox
It is one thing to highlight discovery benefits, but there are still questions around long-term value. As GameDeveloper.com mentions, last year’s price increase remains a point of contention. More recent reporting also suggests Asha Sharma believes the service has become too expensive, which could lead to changes.
Xbox has been on a more positive run lately, with long-requested features finally rolling out, and Xbox openly asking for feedback. From a community perspective, sentiment appears to be improving, and overall momentum is trending in a better direction.
It's also no secret that Xbox Game Pass is a success, at least based on what we currently know, even with last years price increase.
That said, it is interesting to see Richard's take on the service, especially knowing what he thinks about its impact beyond just Xbox and Game Pass itself.
With that in mind, do you agree with Richards, or does this feel like a stretch? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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