Microsoft is actively pursuing the expansion of Game Pass to rival consoles, including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, according to statements made by Xbox CFO Tim Stuart during the Wells Fargo TMT Summit. Read on to know more.
Microsoft Wants Game Pass and Other Services in PlayStation, Switch, and "All Screens"
Aims to Make Gaming "More Accessible"
Microsoft is actively pursuing the expansion of Xbox Game Pass to rival consoles, including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, according to statements made by Xbox CFO Tim Stuart during the Wells Fargo TMT Summit 2023. The company's new strategy aims to make first-party games and Game Pass accessible on "every screen that can play games."
Stuart emphasized Microsoft’s mission to bring its first-party experiences and subscription services to a variety of devices. This included smart TVs, mobile devices, and rival gaming consoles like PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
- "It's a bit of a change of strategy. Not announcing anything broadly here, but our mission is to bring our first-party experiences [and] our subscription services to every screen that can play games."
Stuart said that the acquisition of Activision Blizzard would accelerate Microsoft's efforts to achieve this goal. Game Pass, along with first-party games and advertising, is considered a "high margin" business for Microsoft, driving the company's expansion into these areas.
While the advertising aspect involves games like Candy Crush (with in-game microtransaction and ads), Microsoft’s focus remains on broadening the availability of gaming services. Microsoft envisions compatibility with platforms beyond its own.
Microsoft Wants "Industry Growth"
There were previous statements from Xbox boss Phil Spencer in 2021 indicating no plans for Game Pass on closed consoles like Nintendo Switch. Spencer went on to say that their competition would not want something like Game Pass.
- "For us to succeed, I don’t think another company has to get smaller. I want the industry to continue to grow and accelerate its growth. That’s not a slam on anybody else who has a system that works for them. I can see why the disruption of Game Pass is not something that they want right now. In the end, when we say we want everybody to be able to play on Xbox, we really mean if we can bring that full experience to a device that players want, we are totally open to those discussions."
Sources:
GameSpot: Microsoft Wants Game Pass On PlayStation, Nintendo, And Every Screen
Possible
Nintendo Everything: Xbox boss Phil Spencer says no current plans for Game Pass on Switch and talks about why
