Chris Dring, who previously headed up GamesIndustry.biz, recently did a Q&A on the Install Base forums, where he shed light on some interesting details about the numbers behind gaming subscription services like Xbox Game Pass, and what they might mean for developers and publishers.
Responding to a question about whether sentiments at studios and publishing companies about subscription services has changed, Dring talks about his own anecdotal experience, while also talking about how games are affected differently depending on whether they are blockbuster releases or indie titles.
One of the biggest takeaways is that developers and publishers expect to lose 80 percent of their sales on Xbox if the game will be available on Game Pass.
This indicates that most Xbox players are opting to play through the latest releases through Game Pass rather than buying the games. “Anecdotally, games that are in Game Pass can expect to lose around 80% of its expected premium sales on Xbox,” wrote Dring. “That’s the figure that gets thrown around.
It’s less if it’s a big mainstream release, but generally… look at how low Hellblade 2 charted. Or where Indiana Jones came.