Sony Has Xbox Game Pass "Counterpunch," God Of War Director Says

Xbox Game Pass doesn’t really have any competition on other systems, at least not any that offer the exact same sort of game selection and value. The streaming service PlayStation Now also doesn't offer same-day game launches for first-party titles. According to the original God of War director, however, there could be a more competitive counterpart coming to PlayStation. It just isn't clear exactly what form it will take.

In YouTube stream on April 8 spotted by VGC, God of War and Twisted Metal developer David Jaffe said staff at Sony had let him know about a "counterpunch" to Xbox Game Pass. He admitted he didn't know what for that would take, nor does it sound like he knows when there will be an announcement.

Jaffe hasn't worked at Sony since 2007, founding a few independent developers, though he did continue working with PlayStation exclusively in the years to follow. His most-recent game was Drawn to Death, which he directed at The Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency. It was free for PlayStation Plus at launch in April 2017, and the studio closed less than a year later.

This wouldn't be the first time Sony--or someone with information--has teased a PlayStation service that would challenge Game Pass. Back in November, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said there was "news to come" regarding plans it has to compete with Game Pass.

Making something that really resembles Game Pass will be very difficult, if not impossible, for Sony, as Jim Ryan has said in the past. He said a Game Pass model would not be "sustainable," adding that they can cost over $100 to create, in some cases. PS Now offers streaming for a selection of games via several devices, but not every game can be downloaded. PlayStation Plus does also offer certain games for free when they launch, such as Oddworld: Soulstorm, but it's relatively rare.