There’s no doubt that the Xbox Game Pass is an incredible subscription that Microsoft provides to its players, but considering how some of its highlights were created by the studios getting shut down by the company, many fans can’t seem to support it any longer. Sure, Arkane Austin may not have had the greatest track record recently, especially with the mediocrity of Redfall, but the developer and others like it have been responsible for some memorable games as well.
Just when things were starting to take a positive direction for Microsoft’s gaming division, with the recent success of Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush on the PS5, the company’s latest decision has proven to be the final blow for even some loyal fans.
Tango and Arkane Have Both Made Significant Contributions to Xbox Game Pass
Fresh off the heels of the recent Helldivers 2 x Steam controversy that PlayStation and Sony managed to quickly fix, Microsoft saw the competition and decided to become the bigger villain of the week. Arkane Austin messed up with Redfall last year, but that doesn’t mean that it hasn’t had some gems in the past.
One example is the sci-fi shooter that the developer launched in 2017, as Prey made its way to multiple top game lists of the year. Where Arkane Austin fumbled with its latest release, another studio that was hit by the Microsoft layoffs was helping the company’s gaming division among various communities.
Tango’s Hi-Fi Rush may have been a fresh experience when it was initially released, but with its launch on the PS5, its true potential was realized and ended up giving the developer its due recognition. Both studios have some aspects in common: they both made significant contributions to Xbox Game Pass, they both had the potential to be greater and were working on more content, and they both got closed out of nowhere by Microsoft.
The Helldivers 2 Situation Was Fixed Because of Community Outrage, but Can It Work Against Microsoft?
Microsoft shutting multiple Bethesda studios down has bigger stakes than the situation that Sony and PlayStation created for themselves, but the community reaction’s been similar between the two.
Regardless of the excellent value for money that the Xbox Game Pass is, players seem to be done with the subscription service after Microsoft’s devastating layoffs. The loyal fans may have forgiven the company for some of its previous controversial decisions, but this time, the sentiment is that it has gone too far.
I will be boycotting Game Pass, my subscription has ended and I will not be renewing it.
I love Prey by Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi Rush from Tango Gameworks.
This is unforgivable. pic.twitter.com/nwRbcaDUwU
— PeterOvo (@PeterOvo5) May 7, 2024
Gamers pointed out that they are starting to lose “faith” in the Xbox brand, but it remains to be seen how Microsoft will tackle the situation to bring itself back to people’s good graces.
don't think trust/faith in xbox has been this low since 2013.
digging themselves out of this hole will be herculean.
— Jez (@JezCorden) May 8, 2024
Even the Arkane Lyon studio head shares the sentiments of the community, as he addressed the higher executives at Microsoft’s gaming division and criticized their decisions. The industry witnessed mass layoffs in 2023, but the trend seems to be continuing this year as well, putting talented developers’ careers at risk.
What would you say to the Microsoft executives regarding the situation if you had the chance? Let us know in the comments!
