Former Bethesda head of publishing Pete Hines wonders whether subscription services like Xbox Game Pass are selling developers short.<\/p>\n
The industry veteran, who spent 24 years at The Elder Scrolls and Starfield maker before retiring after the latter launched<\/a>, was quizzed by DBLTAP<\/a> about the rise of subscription platforms and the impact they’re having on the people who make video games.\u00a0<\/p>\n The vital context is that Hines helped Bethesda publish several titles, including Redfall, Hi-Fi Rush, and Starfield, that debuted on Xbox Game Pass.<\/p>\n When asked what success looks like for developers on those platforms\u2014don’t forget, Hi-Fi Rush was heralded as triumph<\/a> by Microsoft’s VP of game marketing Aaron Greenberg before the company shut down developer Tango Gameworks<\/a>\u2014Hines suggested it has become even harder for studios to generate returns because platforms like Xbox Game Pass don’t adequately value or reward their work.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I’m not working in any of these companies anymore, and so I don’t assume that everything I knew while I was in the industry still holds true today. At the same time, I’m involved enough to know I saw what I considered to be some short sighted decision making several years ago, and it seems to be bearing out the way I said,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n