Xbox Game Pass changed a lot during the recent Xbox generations, including its pricing and benefits. The previous substantial price increase only fueled the huge backlash online, which made even the former Xbox founder step out to explain her thoughts about how the Xbox Studio had changed.
Laura Fryer released a video to respond to the changes not just for Game Pass, but Xbox leadership. She expands on what Xbox represented originally and how the company bonded with its fans before the Xbox One generation.
“Xbox wasn’t created to sell hardware; it was about creating a closed loop where Xbox owned the customer relationship and developer relationship. Xbox wasn’t just a brand, it was a lifestyle; it was a point of view; it was innovation and cool gaming. It was cool. The identity wasn’t built through slogans; it came from focus; it was real and it drove ecosystem loyalty.”
She states that Xbox’s latest slogan does more harm than good for the company. While it was originally meant to welcome customers into Xbox’s expanded services, it also diminishes the name’s previous intentions. The name Xbox was originally just the official hardware and offerings of Xbox Game Pass, but the “This is an Xbox” plan expanded the Xbox name for broader devices like phones. While the new strategy gives fans more access to Xbox across different platforms, there isn’t a definite home for the brand. It weakens the necessary commitment to the company, hindering the relationship with the dedicated audience.
“‘This is an Xbox’ is destroying all the brand value built over the years. It was meant to be an inclusive message where everyone is welcome, but it ended up hollowing the brand because if everything is an Xbox, then nothing really is.”
She recognizes how Xbox is shifting its primary support from its hardware to Game Pass. She describes Xbox’s current decisions as greedy due to its multiple price increases, cancelled projects, and closed studios. She only wishes for the company to traverse the right path in the future by listening to not just its coworkers, but its fans too.
