Game Pass titles expected to lose 80% of sales on Xbox, claims industry journalist

Microsoft has historically kept Game Pass data close to its chest, leading journalists and analysts to piece together the service’s performance. According to one industry journalist, Xbox titles in Xbox Game Pass can lose 80% of premium game sales on the platform, although it’s claimed that some of the best Game Pass games can lead to increased sales on other platforms like PlayStation.Xbox Game Pass can positively impact PlayStation game sales, it’s claimedA former GI.biz journalist says Xbox game sales can be hurt by Game PassGames that do well in the service can increase PlayStation game salesXbox Game Pass can be a boon for indie gamesFormer GI.biz journalist Christopher Dring recently took part in an industry Q&A on InstallBase, discussing the video game market. When asked about Xbox Game Pass and its impact on the gaming landscape, Dring said: “Anecdotally, games that are in Game Pass can expect to lose around 80% of its expected premium sales on Xbox. That’s the figure that gets thrown around. It’s less if it’s a big mainstream release.”Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Starfield’s positions on the game sales charts show that “Game Pass clearly hurt sales of those titles on Xbox.” With that said, Dring also says, “If it’s a game on multiple platforms, it can be beneficial. That surge in players on one Xbox can have a strong impact on sales on PlayStation, for instance.” It’s an interesting point to make, as we’ve seen Microsoft begin to launch some of its first-party games on other platforms, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed that more games will make the jump in the future. While sales on Xbox might be lower, the hype generated from their release into Game Pass could help drive sales on Sony’s platform. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the next game confirmed to be heading to PlayStation, and will launch on the platform sometime this spring. “I am actually torn on subscription. I believe it can lead to lost revenue, and services like this make it harder for everyone else. Try being an indie game on Xbox right now that’s not on Game Pass,” Dring says. “But also, getting people to play your game in 2024/2025 is so, so, so hard. And subscription gets games in front of lots of people. “We know from data that there are a lot of people that only play Call of Duty. And if some of those people decided to get Call of Duty this year via Game Pass, and those very same people took the opportunity to play some other Game Pass games, games they wouldn’t have otherwise played… it’s hard to argue that’s a bad thing.”Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the first Call of Duty game to launch into Xbox Game Pass, and according to Activision, it’s the “biggest Call of Duty release” in the franchise’s history.What are your thoughts on this? Let us know down in the comments. If you’re curious about new games for the service, check out our list of upcoming Game Pass games in 2025.



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