Xbox Has No Plans to End Third-Party Game Pass Funding, Report Says
▼ Summary
– A rumor that Xbox Game Pass third-party deals were being frozen or ended was addressed, with no “blanket plans” to permanently stop funding.
– The rumor originated from Fernando Rizo, who heard developers had deals put on hold, but he later clarified he has no internal Microsoft knowledge.
– Jez Corden from Windows Central reported from a trusted source that there are no blanket plans to end third-party funding on Game Pass.
– Recent frozen discussions are linked to Microsoft’s fiscal year ending and an internal “reset” plan, not a permanent funding halt.
– Industry speculation suggests Xbox may increase focus on third-party deals after the 100-day reset plan concludes.
Earlier today, speculation spread across the gaming community that Xbox Game Pass might be pulling back on third-party deals, sparking concern among subscribers. However, those fears appear to be unfounded , a new report indicates there are no sweeping plans to halt funding for outside developers.
The rumor originated on The Business of Video Games podcast, where former Raw Fury sales officer Fernando Rizo stated that some developers “who were in the frame for Game Pass deals” had “got the rug pulled out from under them.” He suggested these negotiations had been paused while Microsoft reassessed its strategy.
Rizo later clarified his comments to Eurogamer, cautioning against overreaction. “I definitely don’t want to oversell what I know , not privy to any internal Microsoft conversations,” he said. “But I had spoken to a number of devs that had Game Pass deals in various stages of negotiation who were told the deals were on hold. I don’t personally think this is the death of Game Pass or anything, probably just a new CEO wanting to get her feet under her desk and everyone aligned on strategy before the Game Pass team starts cutting cheques again.”
Windows Central’s Jez Corden independently investigated the story and reported that a “trusted source” told him there are “no blanket plans to end funding for third-party games on Game Pass.” He acknowledged that some individual deals may have stalled or fallen through, but attributed this to routine business cycles rather than a strategic shift.
“No update from Microsoft, but a trusted source suggested to me that my analysis is correct,” Corden wrote. “There are no blanket plans to end funding for third-party games on Game Pass. Any recent run of frozen discussions revolves around Microsoft’s fiscal year ending and Xbox’s ‘reset’ plan.”
Taken together, these updates paint a far less alarming picture than the initial rumor suggested. Corden even speculated that Xbox may actually increase its reliance on third-party content going forward, though that remains conjecture.
For now, Game Pass funding for third-party titles appears safe, though the exact level of investment , whether it rises, falls, or stays flat , won’t be clear until after Microsoft completes its 100-day “Reset” review. We’ll keep you posted as more details emerge.
(Source: Pure Xbox)
