Former PlayStation Boss Says Subscriptions Can’t Support AAA Devs

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Abiyan

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Gaming subscriptions have garnered mixed opinions amid their growth in recent years. While studios like Larian refuse to engage with the model, teams like the Lies of P developer have praised these services.

Recently, the Sony CEO claimed that he does not find subscription services as valuable as traditional game sales since players prefer to play one game at a time. The former PlayStation boss seems to agree, stating that these services cannot support AAA developers.

Why it matters: The cost of developing AAA games has increased over the last decade, making it challenging for bigger studios to profit through monthly subscription services.

During a recent interview with What’s Up PlayStation, the former CEO of PlayStation, Shawn Layden, shared his thoughts on the current state of the industry and its future direction.

Shawn Layden believes that subscription services are valuable for people who want to try different games, but he states that it’s a suitable platform for single or double A games.

The former CEO of PlayStation believes that AAA developers releasing games on these services will not be able to make their budget back.

There is not enough nickels in that box to ladder up to $200 million.

-Shawn Layden

He does not hold this opinion for Game Pass exclusively. Shawn Layden believes that both Game Pass and PS Plus can make enough money to sustain themselves, but they are of little help to developers spending millions of dollars on AAA projects.

The platform can make money, it can sustain itself.

-Shawn Layden

While everyone shares a different opinion, we believe that gaming subscriptions help make the hobby more affordable. With prices going up, the hobby is becoming more inaccessible with each passing day.

Perhaps a middle ground is needed for the future. A publisher like EA typically releases games on its subscription a few months after release, benefiting from the day-one purchases during the initial excitement.

This may be the best way to utilize these services, helping both developers and consumers.

Nonetheless, with Microsoft’s entire model revolving around Game Pass, it will be interesting to see where the industry goes from here. For now, Xbox is set to launch multiple big-budget AAA titles in Game Pass this year.

Abiyan

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