Xbox Game Pass, Yooka-Laylee and Square Enix Collective headline this week’s MCV

This week, we talk to Microsoft about Xbox Game Pass, investigate why publishers are so reluctant to discuss the new upcoming service and ask SuperData’s Joost van Dreunen and IHS Markit’s Piers Harding-Rolls for their analysis on the topic.

In this week’s issue, we also discuss Koei Tecmo’s strategy with general manager Yasutomo Watanabe, who tells us how he intends to repeat Nioh’s success in the west.

Elsewhere, Playtonic’s MD and creative lead Gavin Price speaks about how Yooka-Laylee’s winning fans on both sides of the nostalgia divide.

We also talk to Square Enix’s director of community and indie development Phil Elliott about The Square Enix Collective’s upcoming changes now that the team has suspended Kickstarter support.

The latest digital edition can beread herefor free

The full contents of this week’s issue are below:

• NEWS: Indies sing praises of Microsoft’s ID@Xbox programme
• NEWS: Tequila Works: ‘Not all indie games are a good fit for retail’
• BIG RELEASES: Persona 5 and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 & 2.5 Remix headline this week’s big games
• XBOX GAME PASS: The new service could be the ‘next big thing’ for console games, so why are publishers so reluctant to discuss it?
• KOEI TECMO: Following the successful release of Nioh in the western market earlier this year, we catch up with Koei Tecmo’s general managr Yasutomo Watanabe
• YOOKA-LAYLEE: With just over two weeks to go until Yooka-Laylee’s launch, we sit down with Playtonic’s Gavin Price
• INSIGHT: Don’t miss out on easy data gatherings strategies that can get your market push off to a flying start, says Actioncy’s Christian-Peter Heimbach
• SQUARE ENIX COLLECTIVE: The Collective is about to enter its most ambitious year yet, but to meet its goals the team’s had to suspend Kickstarter support
• PLUS! Matt Gilman joins Ndemic Creations, Ghost Recon Wildlands tops the UK weekly charts again, console accessories range and more