Xbox Head Phil Spencer has once again reaffirmed that Game Pass is "very, very sustainable", claiming that the company isn't "burning cash right now for some future pot of gold." Speaking to journalist Stephen Totilo from Axios, Spencer makes it absolutely clear that the current Game Pass model is working just fine and that the service is continuing to grow:

"Game Pass is doing very well from a business perspective and a creative and engagement perspective, so it continues to be, I think, a real differentiator for our platform and enabler for creators and players..." explains Spencer. " It's not the only focus of the organization, and it, as a standalone thing, is very sustainable as it sits today, like just today."

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The argument that Game Pass can't possibly be sustainable is a popular argument, pushed forward by skeptics such as former Sony Interactive Entertainment America CEO Shawn Layden. In an interview with gamesindustry.biz earlier this year, Layden claimed that Xbox would need a ludicrous amount of subscribers for the service to be sustainable due to the rising cost of video game development.

However, high-profile companies such as Microsoft and even Epic Games have seen success with customer-friendly subscription models and giveaways, suggesting that short-term losses can lead to long-term gains. Companies like Microsoft and Epic already have a level of success that allows them to spend vast sums of money on long-term projects, allowing them to experiment with seemingly unsustainable business models relatively risk-free.

It's also worth taking into account that Xbox Game Pass is over four years old now. The service was undoubtedly unsustainable back when it first launched, but consistent growth and increased popularity in the Xbox brand has made Game Pass much more appealing over time, to the point where Phil Spencer is now claiming the service is completely sustainable "as a standalone thing."

It's likely that Game Pass will continue to grow, especially with big titles such as Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite coming to the service on the day of release. With even bigger titles such as Starfield, The Elder Scrolls 6, and Fable in the pipeline, it's clear that the Game Pass model is working and will continue to push the case for a subscription-based future for years to come.

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