Arkane Studios founder Raphael Colantonio had some harsh phrases for Sport Move in a thread on X, calling it an “unstainable mannequin” that is “damaging the trade.” He additionally mentioned that Microsoft’s skill to throw “infinite cash” on the platform will ultimately wane as a result of “actuality has to hit.”
Colantonio continued by saying Microsoft will “kill everybody else, or quit” and that players solely just like the service as a result of “the provide is just too good to be true.” He additionally wrote that these identical gamers will activate the platform when “they notice the consequences on the video games,” alluding that the Netflix-style method permits for underwhelming titles.
Why is no-one speaking concerning the elephant within the room? Cough cough (Gamepass)
— Raphael Colantonio (@rafcolantonio) July 5, 2025
His remarks observe final week’s main layoffs, by which Microsoft let go of over 9,000 individuals. Most of the impacted staff have been concerned with the corporate’s gaming divisions and first-party builders. Halo Studios misplaced individuals, as did the Sweet Crush maker King. Some studios have been shuttered and a bunch of video games have been cancelled. It sucked.
Nonetheless, the final consensus is that Microsoft’s continued funding in AI performed a job in these layoffs, and never the existence of Sport Move. Colantonio says that AI’s involvement “may be a BS excuse.”
Whereas there is not any proof that the subscription-based catalog service contributed to the job cuts, there may be some knowledge that implies Sport Move hurts the gross sales numbers of titles beneath its umbrella. This makes a specific amount of sense. AAA video games are $70 and Sport Move is $10 to $20 per 30 days. Anecdotally, I picked up a subscription to play Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle as an alternative of shopping for the sport straight from Bethesda.
Arkane Studios is the agency behind video games like Deathloop, Dishonored and Prey. The corporate’s at present engaged on a recreation primarily based on Marvel’s resident vampire hunter Blade.
