Sony reportedly blocked Microsoft bringing Xbox Game Pass to PlayStation

Gamers are constantly comparing PlayStation’s subscription service, PlayStation Plus, to Xbox Game Pass. Game Pass is basically an undeniably fantastic service - the value it offers, with tons of great games to play (including day one releases) - many feel that in comparison, PS Plus is a bit lacklustre.

However, as reported by TheGamer, according to The Verge’s Tom Warren, Microsoft actually wanted to bring Game Pass to PlayStation, but Sony didn’t want it. This information was reportedly revealed in a statement from Microsoft to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority.

PlayStation gamers can look forward to God of War Ragnarök, releasing on 9 November.

“Microsoft says Sony has ‘chosen to block Game Pass from PlayStation’ and that it has ‘elected to protect its revenues from sales of newly released games, rather than offer gamers the choice of accessing them via its subscription, PlayStation Plus’,” Warren tweeted, attaching screenshots of the alleged statement. 

This same supposed statement adds that there isn’t “any basis for the idea that acquiring Call of Duty could ‘tip’ subscription services in Xbox’s favour”, doubling down on the sentiment that Microsoft have previously shared that owning the CoD IP won't be impactful, at least for several years. The company previously claimed that they have no plans to make the franchise an Xbox exclusive, anyway, arguing that “the strategy of retaining Activision Blizzard’s games by not distributing them in rival console shops would simply not be profitable for Microsoft”.

Back to Game Pass though, and it’s wild to think that having Microsoft’s subscription service available on a huge rival platform could have even been a possibility. I know that I, for one, would jump straight on the opportunity to play Halo on my PS5. Unfortunately though, for whatever reason, it doesn’t sound like this is going to be an option any time soon.