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Gaming subscription services like PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass have almost certainly had an impact on how we in the hardcore sphere perceive the value of video games — but they’re yet to have a truly significant impact on how big publishers do business. At least, that’s what Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has to say on the matter.
The boss recently reassured investors (via Seeking Alpha) that the publisher’s releases would only be added to subscriptions “at the appropriate time”. In other words, Take-Two doesn’t want to launch its titles straight to things like PS Plus. “We think that’s the right way to support subscription,” Zelnick continues.
He goes on to outline the company’s overall view of such services, essentially saying that gaming subscriptions aren’t yet at a point where they have any real effect on traditional business models. “Subscription is still a relatively small business — you’re talking about businesses. I think the last announcement of Game Pass was 25 million subs. We’re not talking about huge broad-based business yet.”
Further clarifying his stance, he says: “In any case, no, I don’t believe the business is cannibalising our business.”
It’s probably worth pointing out that PS Plus still makes Sony a lot of money, and it’s always had more subscribers than Game Pass. That said, the numbers have fluctuated over the last few years, with the Japanese firm’s latest reports revealing that subscriber figures have dropped again — although PS Plus as a whole is actually generating more moolah.