Highlights
- Xbox has no plans to bring Game Pass to PlayStation or Nintendo consoles, remaining exclusive to Xbox platforms.
- The Xbox Game Pass service offers access to a wide range of games, including classics, indies, and AAA titles.
- Xbox is focused on innovating and providing a two-way street commitment for Xbox console owners through Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer comments on the potential of having the Xbox Game Pass service on rival systems, stating that there are currently "no plans" on bringing it to Nintendo and PlayStation consoles. The Xbox Game Pass service is rather groundbreaking for the Xbox brand, giving subscribed gamers access to hundreds of titles for a monthly fee. It includes classic Xbox titles, indie games, and even AAA titles published by Xbox. Day one AAA releases like Starfield greatly benefited the Xbox Game Pass service, while also increasing its subscriber count to new levels.
Despite the service being an Xbox console and PC exclusive, there have been multiple attempts to try and bring the service to other platforms. Microsoft once tried bringing Xbox Game Pass to PlayStation platforms in the past, and there have been rumors about attempts to bring it to Nintendo Switch as well, though nothing has ended up materializing yet. Microsoft CFO Tim Stuart recently talked about these plans again, looking to bring the service to "every screen" possible. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer also commented on this initiative.
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In an interview with Windows Central, Spencer was asked about Stuart's comments about bringing Xbox Game Pass to PlayStation or Nintendo, which some fans took to the idea of Microsoft preparing for a future when Xbox would no longer be producing hardware. Spencer states "we have no plans to bring Game Pass to PlayStation or Nintendo. It's not in our plans."
Spencer instead wants to focus on innovating for those who already own an Xbox console, feeling especially proud of the hardware teams for their work on developing the Xbox Series X and S consoles. This is reflected in Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming, which are all things exclusive to the Xbox console so that they make gamers feel like the commitment is a two-way street in a sense. He states that since Game Pass is a strong part of Xbox's identity, it will continue to be that, and they'll be looking for future ways to innovate across the Xbox brand's gaming portfolio and platform.
We have no plans to bring Game Pass to PlayStation or Nintendo. It's not in our plans.
Spencer was also asked about other future hardware innovations, since PC gaming handhelds like ASUS Rog Ally could play Xbox Game Pass games on the go. Spencer notes that he has a Lenovo Legion Go with him, which he considers an "extension" of the Xbox console since it allows him to pick up a game and continue from where he left off playing, especially when Xbox had been pushing for cross play, cross save, and cross progression for a long time. He believes the ability to play anywhere with these handheld PCs is an important direction for Xbox as well.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft's flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.