Denshattack Director Says Xbox Game Pass Helped Reduce Financial Risk for the Studio

Denshattack director David Jaumandreu says launching the game through Xbox Game Pass has been a positive experience for developer Undercoders, helping the small studio reach more players while reducing some of the financial risk around release.

The game launched as a day one Game Pass title in July 2026 and has since received strong reviews, including a Metacritic score of 88.

Jaumandreu says the Game Pass agreement provided the studio with a guaranteed amount of revenue before the game reached the market. That gave the team more financial breathing room, although it did not remove the need for the game to perform well commercially.

Detail	Denshattack
Developer	Undercoders
Publisher	Fireshine Games
Genre	Racing
Xbox platforms	Xbox Series X and Series S
Other platforms	PC, PS5, Switch 2
Game Pass	Day one release
Metacritic score	88
Studio view of Game Pass	Very positive
Main benefit	Wider reach and lower financial risk

Game Pass Gave Denshattack Access to More Players

Jaumandreu says discussions with Microsoft began early in development.

The studio presented Denshattack to Microsoft, which showed interest in the project. Those conversations continued until the game was eventually invited into Xbox Game Pass.

For a small independent team, the main advantage was exposure.

Game Pass placed Denshattack in front of a much larger audience than the studio might have reached through conventional sales alone.

Jaumandreu says many players discovered the game through the subscription service, giving the title more opportunities to build word of mouth.

For smaller studios, that kind of visibility can be important because marketing budgets are usually much more limited than those available to major publishers.

A Guaranteed Payment Reduced Some Launch Risk

The financial structure of a Game Pass agreement also helped Undercoders.

Jaumandreu says the deal included a guaranteed payment before the game launched.

That means the studio knew it would receive at least a certain amount of revenue regardless of initial sales performance.

For an independent developer, this can reduce the risk associated with launching a new game.

Development costs continue to accumulate before release, while sales remain uncertain until the game actually reaches players.

A guaranteed payment gives a studio some protection against that uncertainty.

Game Pass Did Not Remove the Pressure to Sell

Jaumandreu also makes clear that joining Game Pass does not eliminate commercial pressure.

The studio still needs to sell enough copies to recover development costs and support the business.

There is also pressure to deliver a game that meets Microsoft's quality expectations.

According to Jaumandreu, signing a Game Pass deal does not mean Microsoft will release a project regardless of its condition.

That leaves developers with the same responsibility to finish, polish, and support the game properly.

The difference is that part of the financial risk has already been covered before release.

Denshattack Earned Strong Reviews

Denshattack has performed well critically since its July launch.

The game currently holds a Metacritic score of 88, placing it among the higher rated games released in 2026.

Its unusual concept combines arcade style movement and trick systems with trains rather than traditional skateboards or snowboards.

The design has drawn comparisons with games such as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, SSX, and Jet Set Radio Future.

That distinctive structure may have helped the game stand out inside a subscription catalog where many titles compete for attention.

Game Pass Can Be Useful for Smaller Studios

Jaumandreu's comments provide an example of how Game Pass agreements can work for independent developers.

The benefits are not limited to direct revenue.

A day one launch can give a small game immediate access to a large installed audience.

If players enjoy the game, that exposure can lead to recommendations, stronger visibility, and potentially additional sales on Xbox and other platforms.

The guaranteed payment can also help reduce the financial consequences if launch sales are weaker than expected.

At the same time, the model does not remove the need for a sustainable business.

Developers still need to recover costs, maintain their teams, and generate enough revenue to fund future projects.

Undercoders Plans to Remain Independent

Jaumandreu says Undercoders wants to remain an independent studio rather than becoming part of a larger publisher or platform holder.

The team is now looking to increase awareness of Denshattack further, including through Tokyo Game Show later in September.

That puts the Game Pass launch in the context of a broader strategy rather than treating the subscription deal as the game's only route to success.

For Undercoders, the arrangement appears to have worked as a way to reduce launch risk while getting Denshattack into the hands of more players.

The studio still has to sell copies and manage its development costs, but the guaranteed revenue and increased exposure gave it more financial stability during one of the most uncertain stages of releasing an independent game.