Layden Slams Game Pass Profits: Developers 'Impossible' to Make Money

Shawn Layden, former PlayStation executive, expressed concerns about the profitability of game developers in subscription-based services like Xbox Game Pass. In an interview, he stated that it's 'impossible' for devs to make a profit on such services, even if Microsoft is profitable.

Layden cited the example of 500 million subscribers as a necessary figure for Game Pass to become profitable. He noted that people often argue that Microsoft's profitability comes from its subscription model, but Layden likened this to a casino where 'the house always wins.'

The former PlayStation boss also highlighted the difficulties of making a profit on AAA games in a subscription-based model. He explained that such games have only one chance to break through and make a profit, which is challenging when they're released on day-one as part of Game Pass.