You mean Square Enix?

Xbox has had an issue with Japanese support for years now, it predates Game Pass, it was not a problem that Game Pass has created, if anything Game Pass has improved the situation a lot. Think about it for a second, if Japanese developers are skipping Xbox because they're waiting for an Xbox cheque to cover the costs then without Game Pass why would they port to Xbox at all?

Xbox wasn't/isn't paying for every single Japanese developer to simply port to the Xbox, Lol.

Now Game Pass adds something mutually beneficial to both parties, Xbox receiving more content for Game Pass (and varied content, which is important for a subscription service) and developers having financial incentives to port to Xbox because the Game Pass cheque (not a moneyhat) essentially covers the costs of porting.

Here is the last time some of these Japanese series released on Xbox before they launched into Game Pass.

• Yakuza = Never.
• Ni No Kuni = Never.
• Zero Escape = Never.
• Danganronpa = Never.
• Persona = 11 Years for Spinoff, Never for Mainline.
• Guilty Gear = 16 Years for Main Series, 10 Years for "Updated Versions", 19 Years for Spinoffs.
• BlazBlue = 13 Years for Main Series, 8 Years for "Updated Versions", Never for Spinoffs.

Now lets take Yakuza as an example, it launched on Xbox via Game Pass but all follow-up sequels have been direct purchase only because Sega presumably used Game Pass to not only cover the costs of porting but also build a fanbase up and that fanbase will buy the releases going forward, if they don't, shove it onto Game Pass later down the line.

Sega's relationship with Xbox is very strong lately, which I why I think Persona is here to stay unless Sony has moneyhatted it.

It didn't launch into Game Pass but Sword Art Online is another series which made its debut on Xbox recently, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure returned after 11 years without Game Pass at launch, Soul Hackers made its debut on Xbox platform without Game Pass at launch. Fuga released on Xbox without Game Pass at launch.

Xbox is making progress in multiple areas, with more work to be done, that is obvious. Square Enix really amplifies the issue more than it actually is, Imo, but it isn't like we can get FF16/FF7R is it...Not when Sony keeps paying to keep them away from Xbox...Which is w/e but hardly a fault of Game Pass. That's a moneyhat, something which has existed since the start of console gaming.

Btw, Yakuza is an awesome series, I'm very glad that Sega brought it to Xbox via Game Pass

Oh and it stayed! Looking forward to Yakuza 8.

If the fanbase is created they should now buy Sega, to bring the games to more people within the Microsoft ecosystem.