Game Pass Gets “Largest Investment” To Date This Year, Xbox Boss Says

Chris Charla, the head of Xbox’s independent gaming program ID@Xbox, recently shared insights into how developers are feeling about the Game Pass service and its current performance.

In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Microsoft’s Charla explained that the company partnered with over 50 developers in 2024 to bring their games to Game Pass for the first time. She also stated that 2025 will see the biggest investment yet in the ID@Xbox program and its connection to Game Pass.

“We remain focused on delivering the most exciting and diverse catalogue in gaming,” he said.

Charla mentioned that most developers who’ve partnered with ID@Xbox and released games on Game Pass have expressed interest in bringing their future games to the service as well.

Because of this, we’ve partnered with over 150 companies to offer a wider selection of content. We also regularly connect with hundreds of partners annually to discuss future releases.

According to Charla, Microsoft discovers games for Game Pass through ID@Xbox in many ways. It could start with meeting developers at events, a direct message, or even internal conversations within Microsoft. Often, employees recommend games they’ve come across, or developers share games made by their friends. They also receive submissions directly via email.

Charla didn’t address the recent concerns raised by several game developers about the potential downsides of Xbox Game Pass. Arkane co-founder Ralph Colantonio believes the service isn’t financially viable long-term, and former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden warned it could force developers into a position of dependency. Pete Hines, formerly of Bethesda, suggested subscription services like Game Pass could create significant problems for the gaming industry, while Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick questioned the financial logic of releasing new games on the platform. Shannon Loftis, a former Xbox executive, also noted that Game Pass can reduce revenue from traditional retail sales.

Game Pass has significantly boosted the success of many games. For example, a leader at the Football Manager studio reported a huge increase in players after their game was added to the service.

Game Pass brought in nearly $5 billion in annual revenue for the first time recently.

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2025-09-22 17:39