Ex-Forza lead warns Xbox Game Pass lacks subscribers to stay viable

The math behind Xbox Game Pass is coming under fire from someone who knows the internal grind of a first-party studio all too well. Mike Brown, the former director of Forza Horizon 5 who departed Playground Games in 2023, didn't mince words in a recent sit-down with MinnMax. His take? The subscription service isn't currently hitting the numbers it needs to stay afloat, and the human cost of that struggle is exactly what we’ve been seeing lately: more studio closures.

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New Xbox releases arriving next week: 20+ games coming July 20-24

The Xbox ecosystem is gearing up for a packed week! Between July 20 and 24, players can expect a massive influx of new titles ranging from cozy hidden-object games to intense retro-style shooters. The undisputed highlight is the early access launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 23 for Premium Edition owners. Additionally, the Xbox Game Pass library continues to grow with exciting day-one additions like Planet Crafter and the nerve-wracking Shift at Midnight.

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