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'The gold rush is over:' Slay the Spire and Darkest Dungeon devs say that big Game Pass and Epic exclusive deals have dried up for indie devs

Makes sense. Epic is pivoting towards publishing and Microsoft has its own relatively big first party. Probably they also came to the conclusion that bigger games drive the service more than small indies.
 
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Kacho

Gold Member
…that’s not what this means or implies, though
I tend to look at the big picture with news like this.

We’re getting less diverse content for a subscription service where growth has stagnated.

We got news from Dring saying that Microsoft plans to focus less on Game Pass going forward.

We also can’t forget that Microsoft has started the process of porting their games to other platforms.

Not looking good for the future of Game Pass.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Please explain why Gamepass dying would be good for the industry?

EGS exclusives are the only reason some games even exist, Alan wake 2 for example since they funded the entire project.
People against Game Pass generally dislike it because they think it devalues games. I agree with that sentiment. I believe Game Pass was a last ditch effort to drive interest in their ecosystem and it didn’t materialize the way they needed it to.
 

bigdad2007

Member
I feel a bit bad because I have several Annapurna Interactive published games that I would have probably bought had they not been for game pass on on Steam wishlist.

But I beat them on game pass. I might eventually buy them, but I doubt they got the $20~$30 they are asking worth from my sub considering I don’t keep it active 12 months of the year.
 

Kilau

Member
Was always gonna happen once MS bought Zenimax and ABK. They have the studios and IP they need now, they don't need to keep funding indies for content in their service.

Makes the indie devs who were cheering on the ABK acquisition look really bad in retrospect, but they should've seen this coming.

Who could have seen this coming?

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ulantan

Member
Please explain why Gamepass dying would be good for the industry?

EGS exclusives are the only reason some games even exist, Alan wake 2 for example since they funded the entire project.
The only goal gamepass had was drive an unsustainable loss lead model no other platform holder could follow. thus driving the the industry into a subscription model Only Microsoft could even remotely maintain. Pushing out other competitors. The only reason this didn't work was because the games on offer were not good/frequent enough to keep and grow subscribers. Driving them to huge aquisitions to feed it. No one else can do that.
 

Shut0wen

Banned
I dont get the phil hatred, all they said is the amount they get offered is very small compared to what it used to be but games like spire and darkest dungeon are old af, i still believe early access is a much better option then just putting your game on GP, only indie game to become big from it was vampire survivor's
 

DForce

NaughtyDog Defense Force
Bruh .. the embedded tweet is leading with "helped a ton of games get funded".

I don't think you can make a better argument for the hater part :messenger_grinning_sweat:

And you're a prime example of ignoring the issue. The issue was never about the devs getting paid by Microsoft, the issue was about Microsoft spending billions on the service and getting little or nothing in return.

Microsoft is paying third-party devs millions to launch their games on Game Pass
Microsoft is sacrificing millions in retail sales to launch their games on Game Pass.

The result for the past few years?

NO GROWTH. Microsoft has expressed concerns for years about the lack of growth, but you ignore it. Microsoft putting games on Switch and PlayStation should be a wakeup call, but you guys choose to be in denial.
 

Rockman33

Member
Because an unsustainable business model should not exist. It creates a "bubble" that is bound to burst sooner or later.

Besides, the GP has pushed a customer's mindset of not paying for games and not appreciating the worth of the really good ones. It's as shortsighted as it can get.
Why do you say it’s unsustainable? Before they mixed in Xbox live with the numbers it was around 30 million subscribers that were paying in average $11 a month if memory serves me correct. (I could be off a bit) That’s almost 4 billion a year. Not including sales of the game on Xbox or PC. That was pre ABK deal. That’s a shit ton of money. You saying it’s unsustainable is just parroting what other people without any data to back it up are saying to serve your viewpoint.

Is it unsustainable? Maybe, maybe not. The market will decide in the end.

In terms of “changing customers mindset” is a really silly argument. Can you not think for yourself? Can other people not think for themselves? It’s not as if they took away the option of buying games, now if they did that it would be a REAL problem. I was always under the impression choice is good. Is renting or leasing a house or car a bad thing, should that be shut down because it’s changing a customers mindset?
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Literally nobody cares about Darkest Dungeon 2, they killed their brand by launching on EGS, and they didn't need to, because the first game was so huge.
 

Rockman33

Member
Bottom line is make great games and they will sell, in most cases.

Remember when PS4 was all over indie games in the early days to help fill voids before their heavy hitters started shipping? Then once they did they pretty much abandoned them.
 

Darsxx82

Member
GP didn't help them. it was the money outside GP.
He is saying that thanks to Gamepass games and Studios could be founded..... Imagine those games and Studios indi without the funding of Gamepass/MS.

What this Indian developer is stating is simply his concern that MS and Epic are no longer so willing to finance so many projects or pay the same money. That is, he is regretting that Gamepass and Epic Store no longer exist as a lifeline for his projects.

Imagine interpreting that as "MS and Epic have ruined Studios Indi" 🙃.

PS. And no, Id@Xbox funds Is not the same as Gamepass money funds.
 

Fabieter

Member
Problem is that game devs, for some reason, are unilaterally fucking terrible at planning, setting realistic goals, and budgeting. I will always look at Shenmue 3 as the penultimate "what the fuck are you doing?" game.

Its also an industry where you only get any potential revenue years down the line which is a huge risk compared to alot of other industrys where you get a product out and money pretty much day one. This industry is harder than alot of other businesses.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
that money existed even before GP with programs like ID@Xbox.

The money for GP was money thrown to devs just like the money Epic throws for free games. That money is not helping (the economy of making games).

Part of game pass deals is funding of game development. In cases the games are also not prevented from launching on other platforms.

 
He is saying that thanks to Gamepass games and Studios could be founded..... Imagine those games and Studios indi without the funding of Gamepass/MS.

What this Indian developer is stating is simply his concern that MS and Epic are no longer so willing to finance so many projects or pay the same money. That is, he is regretting that Gamepass and Epic Store no longer exist as a lifeline for his projects.

Imagine interpreting that as "MS and Epic have ruined Studios Indi" 🙃.

PS. And no, Id@Xbox funds Is not the same as Gamepass money funds.
thats the point.

If their existence was tied to GP then those studios shouldn't had existed in the first place
 
The only goal gamepass had was drive an unsustainable loss lead model no other platform holder could follow. thus driving the the industry into a subscription model Only Microsoft could even remotely maintain. Pushing out other competitors. The only reason this didn't work was because the games on offer were not good/frequent enough to keep and grow subscribers. Driving them to huge aquisitions to feed it. No one else can do that.

Man it’s amazing how grand the views some of you have/had for GamePass. They exceed even those of Microsoft.

How exactly is MS driving the industry into a subscription model when all of their games are available outside of the service and they don’t lock anything behind it? And let’s say the industry would go into a subscription model, are you honestly trying to tell me Sony and Nintendo couldn’t compete? Please.

MS repeatedly stated their goal for GamePass was 10-15% of their revenue. Where’s it at right now? You guys always talk like you have concrete numbers.
 

Darsxx82

Member
thats the point.

If their existence was tied to GP then those studios shouldn't had existed in the first place
Ergo, thanks to the funds from MS and Epic, those Studios and developers were able to make their dream come true by launching their projects with minimal or no risk. That is, otherwise they would not even exist.

At what point was Gamepass and Epic Store bad for them and should P. Spencer and Tim Sweney be blamed? At what point do people make the interpretation that "MS and Epic have ruined Studios indi" from a statement from someone who is just lamenting that MS and Epic have stopped being so generous?

The type of nonsensical reaction is funny as they then defend that Studios Indi do not even need to launch their games on XBOX and/EpicStore to exist or even be profitable and here we have testimony according to which they were the reason for their existence.🙃
 
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