Phil Spencer recently denied any possibility that Microsoft plans to make any games exclusive to Xbox Game Pass. This was a valid concern, given how hard Microsoft has pushed Game Pass. However, Spencer claims that Xbox aims to make its games more accessible, not less. Unfortunately, he also confirmed that future price increases are inevitable.
No game will be exclusively on Xbox Game Pass
Phil Spencer visited Japan for the 2023 Tokyo Game Show, which ran from September 21 to September 24. During that time, Spencer gave an interview with the Japanese gaming website Game Watch. Among the questions was whether Microsoft will make certain titles Xbox Game Pass exclusives. The interviewer referenced the streaming service Netflix, which invests heavily in exclusive content, and wondered if Microsoft might do something similar.
However, Spencer explained that Microsoft sees Game Pass as a way to get its game to as many players as possible.
“Xbox isn’t just about Xbox Game Pass,” said Spencer. “The real success of Xbox is that more people play Xbox, whether it’s on an Xbox console, whether it’s on PC, in the cloud, or on another console.”
Spencer went on to say that he thinks making games exclusive to the subscription service would hinder Xbox’s growth. Future Microsoft executives might change this policy. However, Spencer claims he is not interested in making titles exclusive to Xbox Game Pass.
The bad news is that future price increases are inevitable, according to Spencer. However, the Microsoft Gaming CEO says the company is committed to delivering value for money. That said, the more cynically minded might wonder if this is part of a long-term strategy to gradually raise prices after getting enough users invested.
