Xbox Co-Founder Laura Fryer Slams Game Pass Price Hike

Microsoft Game Studios co-founder Laura Fryer has forcefully criticized Microsoft and Xbox’s recent decision to hike the price of Game Pass Ultimate, branding the move a clear example of “greed over gaming.” In a recent video, Fryer argued that these pricing decisions, which coincide with new subscription tiers and increased Xbox hardware prices, showcase how disconnected the company’s executive leadership is from actual players. The strategy, she claims, ignores Xbox’s core strengths: accessibility, community, and long-term loyalty.

Xbox’s Changing Direction and Community Backlash

Fryer, a veteran producer behind hits like Gears of War and Crimson Skies, explained that the original vision for Xbox was built on innovation, close fan relationships, and a commitment to value. She laments that the leadership now appears insulated from reality, describing current decision-making as happening “in a bubble.” According to Fryer, Xbox’s pricing moves have led players to “choose with their feet,” with many canceling subscriptions in protest. She calls this a major betrayal, noting, “Not one fan asked for their Game Pass prices to be raised by 50%, or for the price of the Xbox to go up by 30%.”

Fryer’s comments add weight to mounting frustration among Xbox fans. Many believe that Microsoft’s Game Pass price hike, from $20 to $30 per month, abandons Xbox’s competitive advantage as the “best deal in gaming,” further isolating a loyal player base and undercutting a core pillar of the brand’s identity.

She highlighted that while Microsoft claims to offer players greater “choice” with new pricing tiers, the reaction from subscribers has largely been to leave the service altogether. She also observes that an internal culture dominated by agreement and avoidance of tough feedback, what she calls a “yes man culture”, has been festering at Xbox since 2008, eroding the adventurous and player-first mindset that once defined the division.

Citing the earlier days of Xbox Live and breakout multiplayer successes, Fryer contends that upper management has lost sight of what made the platform uniquely resonant among gamers. She warns that as market consolidation rises following acquisitions like Activision Blizzard, and as prices climb, the risk grows that Xbox becomes “too big to care,” sacrificing what made it essential for players in the first place.

Both Fryer and other industry voices agree: these price hikes and product changes have sparked a wider debate about leadership, community trust, and the industry’s responsibility to its most loyal supporters. If profit motives consistently take priority over player needs, Fryer fears, then the Xbox brand risks losing not just subscriptions, but the lasting culture that made it special.