Summary
Xbox Game Passcan be a good deal for gamers who want to try out a large variety of games for one flat monthly fee, but it could also result in a huge loss of premium sales for developers and publishers. That’s according to information coming from a gaming business industry specialist, who seems to be of a mixed opinion regardingXbox Game Passand subscription services.
Xbox has admitted that it’s lost the console wars, with Xbox sales flagging behind PlayStation 5, its leading competitor. At the same time,Nintendo Switch units have flown off shelves, even surpassing the PS2 in overall US-based sales during its lifetime. Xbox hasn’t been too worried about the diminished movement on its consoles, though, in part thanks to its Xbox Game Pass service. However, there are questions as to whether it’s really a good deal for everyone involved.
Video game business journalist Christopher Dring had a thing or two to say while speaking onInstall Baseabout Xbox Game Pass and its overall influence on the industry, including the sales that game companies experience when their titles are available on the service. Dring says that the “figure thrown around” suggests that up to 80% of a game’s expected premium sales (a flat fee paid to play a single game) can be lost when the title is available through Xbox Game Pass. This can also potentially impact a game’s placement on sales charts, with Dring pointing to recent titleHellblade 2not selling as wellas some believed it would, despite still being played by many.
Xbox Game Pass Influence Has Pros and Cons
Dring continued, indicating thatgames on multiple platforms can actually see a sales benefit, as a game might sell more copies on PlayStation when it’s doing well on Xbox Game Pass. He notes that gamers might try out games on the service that they otherwise might not, given there’s no further financial investment required. However, he’s of a mixed opinion of whether gaming subscriptions are a good thing, stating that he believes they can lead to lost revenue, and that while the service can help get indie games attention, it also makes succeeding as a non-Xbox Game Pass indie title on Xbox extremely difficult.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
