# Ex-PlayStation Boss Says Game Subscription Turns Developers Into 'Wage Slaves'
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2025-08-14
Former Sony Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden criticized subscription gaming services like Xbox Game Pass, arguing that developers working under such models become "wage slaves." Speaking in a recent industry discussion, Layden contended that subscription services prevent developers from traditional profit-sharing arrangements.
"They're not creating value, putting it in the marketplace, hoping it explodes, and profit sharing, and overages, and all that nice stuff," Layden said. "It's just, 'You pay me X dollars an hour, I built you a game, here, go put it on your servers.'" He called the model uninspiring for game developers.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/25/08/14/1859256/ex-playstation-boss-says-game-subscription-turns-developers-into-wage-slaves?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2025-08-14
Former Sony Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden criticized subscription gaming services like Xbox Game Pass, arguing that developers working under such models become "wage slaves." Speaking in a recent industry discussion, Layden contended that subscription services prevent developers from traditional profit-sharing arrangements.
"They're not creating value, putting it in the marketplace, hoping it explodes, and profit sharing, and overages, and all that nice stuff," Layden said. "It's just, 'You pay me X dollars an hour, I built you a game, here, go put it on your servers.'" He called the model uninspiring for game developers.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/25/08/14/1859256/ex-playstation-boss-says-game-subscription-turns-developers-into-wage-slaves?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.