“That’s the statistic that gets mentioned frequently”
- by Ben Kerry
A recent Q&A session has been released today by former GamesIndustry.biz reporter Chris Dring, providing some potentially concerning insights into Xbox Game Pass and how significantly it may impact game sales.
While each game’s particular figure can differ, and this is primarily “anecdotal” information that has been circulated, Dring asserts that “games featured on Game Pass can anticipate losing around 80% of their expected premium sales on Xbox”.
“Anecdotally, games featured on Game Pass can anticipate losing around 80% of their expected premium sales on Xbox. That’s the statistic that gets mentioned frequently. It’s somewhat lower for substantial mainstream releases, but generally… take note of how poorly Hellblade 2 performed in the charts. Or where Indiana Jones landed. Or even Starfield. Game Pass evidently negatively affected sales of those titles on Xbox.”
Dring proceeded to explain that in this regard, it might be quite advantageous for Microsoft to elevate these games to several platforms. The excitement surrounding a significant Xbox Game Pass launch “can create a substantial influence” on its release in different markets, according to the journalist.
“If it’s a game available on multiple platforms, it can indeed be advantageous. That influx of players on one Xbox can create a significant impact on sales on PlayStation, for instance.”
Much of this sounds like information we’ve heard previously, certainly, but that 80% figure is notably significant – and it likely clarifies why Team Xbox has chosen to pursue its multiplatform strategy so intensely. Games are not getting any less expensive to develop — for example, the latest Call of Duty — and under this current approach, Xbox Game Pass can maintain subscribers and generate excitement while PS5 continues to yield significant game sale revenue for Microsoft.
Certainly, in the case of third-party Xbox Game Pass titles, Microsoft compensates publishers to place their games on the service initially, which helps mitigate the decline in sales. These sums can reach into the millions potentially!
What are your thoughts on these statements, Game Pass supporters? Share your insights with us below.
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Ben serves as a News Creator at Pure Xbox and enjoys action, racing, and straightforward shooting in any Xbox game he can lay his hands on. When he isn’t gripping an Xbox controller as if his life depends on it, Ben enjoys listening to music that is far too outdated for him and watching football on television.