Ori creator declares Xbox Game Pass a mediocre slop factory that's 'a little like Communism'

Ori Creator Slams Xbox Game Pass as a 'Mediocre Slop Factory'

Xbox is once again facing criticism, this time from Moon Studios CEO and creator of Ori, Thomas Mahler. In a recent post on X (via VGC), Mahler called out Xbox Game Pass, stating that the subscription service has failed to deliver the kind of exclusive, high-quality games that would justify its cost. His comments come at a time when Microsoft is reportedly preparing for layoffs and reevaluating its strategy, following the recent Xbox Games Showcase.

Mahler argues that the Game Pass model could have worked if it had attracted enough users, but he claims the service's software catalog has fallen short. “The Game Pass strategy could've worked if people would've shown up for it,” he said. “The problem is: they didn’t, and the software catalogue was just nowhere near good enough to make people happily pay the subscription every month.”

A Strategy Focused on Mediocrity

Mahler criticized Xbox for not producing the kind of games that could become cultural phenomena. “You need those games your studios are producing to become smash hits, cultural events that everyone wants to play—but what was the big Xbox game in recent years that was just delightfully good? That game doesn't exist.”

He pointed out that Xbox first-party studios have struggled to deliver standout titles in recent years. “Almost every single first-party studio in recent years has been floundering,” Mahler said. “You'd want Bethesda to create a 'Skyrim in Space' that ought to be better than Skyrim was, but we got Starfield instead.”

Mahler also took aim at the service's content quality, calling it a “mediocre slop factory.” He suggested that Xbox needs to form better relationships with developers, ensuring that they are incentivized to create massive hits, rather than just churn out average content.

Game Pass and the 'Communism' Analogy

Mahler went on to compare Game Pass to Communism, stating that without proper incentives for users to subscribe, the system is destined to collapse. “If you don't give people an incentive to pitch in and subscribe, then the whole system 'comes crashing down,'” he wrote.

This criticism aligns with recent data from Matthew Ball, a games industry analyst and newly-installed Xbox chief strategy officer. Ball noted that when Xbox raised the price of Game Pass last year, it lost millions of subscribers, indicating that the service may not be as valuable to users as Microsoft believes.

Third-Party Hits, But Not Enough

While Xbox’s first-party lineup has struggled, Game Pass has featured some third-party hits. Three of last year’s game of the year nominees—Expedition 33, Hades 2, and Hollow Knight: Silksong—were available on the service day one. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also joined the roster later on.

However, Mahler argues that these games are available on other platforms, making them insufficient incentives for players to pay for an expensive subscription. “The issue is that these games are available elsewhere, so they're not solid incentives for players to sign up for an expensive subscription,” he said.

The Need for a Big Exclusive

Mahler also pointed out that Forza Horizon 6 is the first big exclusive for Xbox in a long time. The game broke records set by its predecessor, but he argues that one exclusive title won't be enough to make the subscription model sustainable. “One (timed) exclusive isn't going to move the needle to the degree the company demands,” he said.