According to Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball, Xbox Game Pass lost millions of subscribers within a few months of Microsoft’s 50% price increase in October 2025.
The increase pushed the price of Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 to $29.99 per month and got heavy backlash from players.
Microsoft says Xbox’s current strategy is not in a good place, and the company is working on a new plan for exclusive games.
Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball shared new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s assessment that “our business today is not healthy.”
Ball said Microsoft wants to strengthen Xbox by bringing back more exclusives: “We have a plan, we’re just not ready to talk about it yet.”
Recent announcements are “the start of a program,” meaning Xbox is beginning a larger push for exclusives rather than one-off decisions.
Microsoft is trying to balance game sales on other platforms with the need to make Xbox hardware more appealing. Future games will likely be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Gears of War E-Day was officially coming to PS5
Xbox Podcast just published a trailer with the PS5 logo [video is now deleted]
Huge mistake to make it exclusive imo
▶️ https://t.co/vZhAWM4ua1
Contrary to rumor XBOX CEO, Asha Sharma and Matt Boouy were going to pull Halo Campaign evolve., Fable from PS5., but due to contractual obligations, they couldn't and product already has been sold to retailers.
Look at how they massacred my girl.
All those in denial that western devs are intentionally uglifying female characters need to shut up.
It's blatantly obvious.
@BigSwankJohnson@LOCONGAMER01 the fact they have the hammer and sickle on the flag made me cringe, had they be doing this on eastern europe, they could be immediately assaulted and beaten
A VERY tear filled goodbye as MAGG and I leave SGF+Xbox Weekend in Los Angeles.
Seriously, we couldn't be here without each other and all your support over the years! 🙏
@Pirat_Nation i still remember when this was announced, only to be cancelled by microsoft years later while they ordered ninja theory to begin development of hellblade 3
Matthew Ball (Xbox CSO) on Xbox Console Exclusives:
"[Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution] are the start of a program. Players can expect a reliable pipeline that validates their investment in the Xbox platform, keeps them as Xbox players going forward, and everyone in this industry understands that exclusives are important to the growth and branding of the platform."