Games Coming to Game Pass Expect to Lose Around 80 Percent of Sales on Xbox
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. Or even Starfield. Game Pass clearly hurt sales of those titles on Xbox.”
Games that are multi-platform, however, seem to benefit from coming to Game Pass, thanks to more players joining in on the Xbox side also impacting sales on PlayStation. This likely applies to multiplayer titles with cross-play, where a stronger online player base leads to more sales of a game.
“But… if it’s a game on multiple platforms, it can be beneficial,” said Dring. “That surge in players on one Xbox can have a strong impact on sales on PlayStation, for instance.”
Dring goes on to talk about his own thoughts on subscription services like Game Pass, and how that affects developers. He points to Xbox indie titles that aren’t on Game Pass, and how that leads to losing out on revenue.
On the other hand, Dring also points out that the exposure
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