Devs say that big Game Pass and Epic exclusive deals have dried up for indie devs

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“I talked to at least five small teams, like 35 [members] and under, during GDC, and they're like: Cuts, cuts, cuts, funding canceled, talks that were going on for a year, canceled," said Casey Yano, the co-founder of Slay the Spire studio Mega Crit. "It sounds like it's shit. We're definitely very privileged to be able to self-fund. [Otherwise] I'd be very, very, very scared right now."

“Slay the Spire launched to slow sales in Steam early access before eventually becoming a deckbuilding juggernaut. Darkest Dungeon was likewise a Steam early access success; both games are available on PC Game Pass, though DD director Chris Bourassa said that Microsoft's deals for getting games on Game Pass have "come down in scope" since the subscription service began.“

"So has Epic," Bourassa said. "The Gold Rush is over. I come from the Northwest Territories. The town I'm from was built on gold, and then they found diamonds further north. Maybe another paradigm shift is waiting for us, but I definitely think the scale of the deals I'm hearing about is significantly diminished from the big swinging days. Certainly we got our Epic [deal] at the right time."

More and more talk about the trouble in the subscription service paradise.

@Pedro: he has been acknowledged.. 👍

Well I don't know about Epic but it certainly makes sense that this would happen for Game Pass. Microsoft has an abundance of developers now to provide content for Game Pass. They were bound to rely less on third party content as time went on.

You stop with that logic!!..

Let's just pretend that Game Pass is both good and bad for developers.. I certainly hope TC let's me know when I should unsubscribe..

We all know you won't make a move until Phil tells you to

Of course. Microsoft has been losing so much money over the years with GP. Cash ain't infinite, so it drying up is 100% normal.

@ghostofgolden: are you subscribed to Game Pass?..

Tho still, somewhat concerning. lol :P

Just came to see who the TC was. Was not disappointed. XD

Yeah, I don't really get it: was anyone really expecting otherwise?

If I can get 5 or 6 AA-AAA games a year with Game pass I've gotten my fair share.

Cash ain't infinite, Halo is.

Pretty much even though outside of halo and nhl I have been playing AA games lately.

I'm not a game pass sub atm but looking at what's ahead, I think the service is the best at AA-AAA games.

It sure is a hell of a lot better than whatever EA, Ubisoft and Sony are offering.

"A big fish in a small pond" comes to my mind; underdog success stories were commonplace at the start of a service, gamepass in this case, but as it got bigger, the options expanded and we stopped hearing about these stories almost entirely, now there is no incentive for the service provider and the devs to keep doing what worked at that time.

@ghostofgolden said:

The entire lem crew here in a nutshell 🤣

MS has certainly dropped the ball for me as of late.. not that PS has done much better. 2nd and 3rd party games are carrying right now and gamepass for me is just for smaller games I peobably wouldn't have bought either way. Regardless I'm done with Xbox until they release the Xbox/Steam console. If and when that happens I'll be back in.

Good, **** the Gamepass and Xbox.

for the first time all gen. years and years of game drought from xbox. after 2024 another 3 to 4 years of game droughts? heck there was nothing even at series x launch other than gears 5 with raytracing lol.

@gifford38: what droughts exactly? I think you are confusing with Nintendo or Sony as Xbox has had continuously great games.

2024 first drought for sony. wow gamers forget so much.

And waiting until 2026. While MS in 2023 and 2024 are blasting games out from their studios.

really what came out in 2023? starfield and forza.

2023 was another year for sony. sony even gave us psvr2 in 2023.

there is a reason why xbox sales flatlined.

heck sony third party exclusives in 2024 are winning so far. Steller blade is the hottest talk on utube right now. helldivers2 is very popular to.

xbox has only hellblade 2 in may until what september. that not going to do well. xbox players don't like movie games.

LOL, Starfield and Forza.

• Starfield
• Forza
• Redfall
• Hi-Fi Rush
• Age of Empires II for Xbox
• Age of Empires IV for Xbox
• Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island
• Minecraft Legends
• Quake 2 Remastered
• Ghost Wire 2 for Xbox
• Fallout 76 Expansion
• Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

There is a reason why Xbox has had record revenue in software and services!

Rise of the Ronin is a dumpster fire. Stellar Blade has ZERO hype. Helldivers 2 is flatlining. And PS5 has no games.

@kvallyx said:

@loudheadphones said:

Good, **** the Gamepass and Xbox.

ok, what movie is that from? lol

@Heil68 said:

@kvallyx said:

@loudheadphones said:

Good, **** the Gamepass and Xbox.

ok, what movie is that from? lol

Jerry McGuire!!!!

@kvallyx said:

@Heil68 said:

@kvallyx said:

@loudheadphones said:

Good, **** the Gamepass and Xbox.

ok, what movie is that from? lol

Jerry McGuire!!!!

Dang, been a min since I seen that!

Damn, look at all these multiplats!

Also, says Rise of the Ronin is a dumpster fire, yet lists Redfall. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

We are on the 7th year of Xbox making all their games multiplatform. Where have you been?🤔

Better than all the PS multiplats!

My bad, I forgot to say Redfall is a dumpster fire as well. Hope that tickles your taint!

I'm tickled that you're pretending Xbox still has an identity of it's own when they're everywhere now. The least necessary console to buy ever. Sony won!

RIP PS and Xbox! Oh hello PC!

Nah, it's just Xbox. The market has spoken. GAWD! It's like EVERYBODY hates that system

I too am pumped that PS decided to go multiplatform. Xbox and PC give Jim Ryan a HUGE thank you on his way out!

W Steam.

L Epic.

L Consoles.

@SecretPolice: second meme: why would one compete for something that is clearly failing?

It is only you. Normal people just to don't buy the system they are not interested in, cultist like yourself hate systems.🤭

Really? The system is third place with a bullet and it's just me? Xbox is the Christmas fruitcake of consoles. Nobody looks forward to getting one except a few weirdos with an acquired taste

Thank you for confirming my claim.🤭

Hey, I'm making this my personal rule in gaming. If it's a console Pedro likes... then it's gonna be a flop 🤣🤣

And again.🤭