- Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has suggested that Xbox cannot save Game Pass
- Layden said Xbox is “trying really hard to get this back on track” despite the current issues.
- This comes after a leaked memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma revealed plans to “evolve” the “expensive” service.
Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden suggested that Microsoft cannot save Xbox Game Pass, following comments made by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma about wanting to “evolve” the service.
Earlier this week, a leaked memo to employees obtained and reported by The Verge showed Sharma admitting that the subscription service is now too expensive for members while outlining a brief plan for how he intends to change things, writing: “Game Pass is critical to the value of gaming on Xbox. It’s also clear that the current model is not the final one.
“In the short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. In the long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system, which will take time to test and learn.”
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Now, in a new LinkedIn post, Layden responded to the report by saying that Microsoft is trying too hard to keep Xbox Game Pass alive, suggesting that the company can’t save it.
“They are trying very hard to get this thing back on track, despite the unfavorable diagnoses and dismal prognosis,” Layden said. “An illuminating autopsy would do the entire industry some good.”
Layden has been a staunch critic of subscription models for some time, calling them a “danger” to the industry that turns developers into “wage slaves” (via Games Industry).
In the same report from The Verge, it was said that Obligations and the release of Black ops 7 was a major contributor to Microsoft raising the price of Game Pass once again in October 2025.
Currently, the Ultimate tier costs members $29.99/£22.99 per month, down from $19.99/£14.99 per month. There are also reports that the company is considering combining the Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscription tiers, which could mean some users would pay more each month.
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