Game Developer Clashes with PlayStation Over Xbox Game Pass Critique

Sports Interactive Director Miles Jacobson responded to Sony's recent criticism of Xbox Game Pass. In the midst of Microsoft's federal trial with the FTC regarding its proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition, it was revealed that PlayStation's Jim Ryan described Xbox Game Pass as destructive, suggesting that "all" major publishers unanimously dislike the service.

While Microsoft's lawyers questioned Ryan's claim of speaking for the entire industry, the Sony Computer Interactive CEO maintained that this negative perception of Xbox Game Pass was widely shared within the gaming community. This wasn't the first time the executive voiced opposition to the $68.7 billion deal, as Ryan had previously engaged with regulators regarding the Activision Blizzard acquisition ever since Microsoft announced its ambitious purchase attempt in early 2022.

Ryan's recent criticism of Xbox Game Pass has been directly disputed by Jacobson, the boss of Sports Interactive. Jacobson asserts that PlayStation does not speak for all third-party developers and publishers. In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Jacobson elaborated on this point, stating that "different games work well in different situations." He suggests that generalized statements, such as Ryan's claim that "all" publishers dislike Xbox Game Pass, have little basis in reality. According to Jacobson, bringing Football Manager to Xbox Game Pass has yielded extremely positive results for Sports Interactive. The decision has greatly expanded the reach of the studio's flagship series, as Jacobson revealed.

Sports Interactive's parent company appears to agree with this sentiment, as Sega has previously expressed admiration for Xbox Game Pass, recognizing it as a key driver for the ongoing success of its various franchises. In addition to Football Manager, the Japanese publisher has brought many games from the Yakuza and Persona series to Xbox Game Pass. Furthermore, Sega's partnership with Microsoft has been growing stronger, evident in the fact that the recently announced Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one, a first for this popular JRPG franchise.

When asked about the recent revelation that Microsoft had considered acquiring Sega before proposing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Jacobson stated that he was unaware of such a possibility. The head of Sports Interactive explained that he is typically informed about major developments of this nature, suggesting that Microsoft did not engage in any serious acquisition discussions with Sega.

Sports Interactive's commitment to subscription-based game services extends beyond Xbox Game Pass. In late 2022, the UK studio released Football Manager 2023 Touch exclusively on Apple Arcade. Several months later, Sony included a time-limited trial of Football Manager 2023 in its PS Plus Premium perks.