Microsoft spending $1B annually on third-party Xbox Game Pass titles

Goronmon@lemmy.world to Games@lemmy.world – 85 points –
Microsoft spending $1B annually on third-party Xbox Game Pass titles
gamedeveloper.com
13

You are viewing a single comment

Spencer revealed the figure during an interview with Windows Central and stated that Xbox Game Pass is "financially viable, meaning it makes money," despite that outlay.

That's interesting because they missed their milestone for 2021 and 2022 then stopped reporting their numbers for 2023. I kind of doubt they're making a real profit from Game Pass, else they'd be boasting about it more.

There's a difference between "profitable" and "how much money Microsoft wants to make after investing billions in something" and I'd wager it's a big one

I get what you're saying and I'm sure all the MBAs at Microsoft are shitting bricks, but I never fully understand why a company would be disappointed with a service like this one even doing only slightly better than breaking even.

Not everything needs to have infinite growth and gigantic margins as long as $-in > $-out.

Opportunity cost. The money they are spending on Gamepass could be spent on something else with a better return.

2 more...
2 more...

Last year they reported 25 million subscribers. Even if every single one of those was the $10 plan, that equates to $3 Billion. Seems like they are doing okay.

Depends on how many used deals to upgrade Gold or whatever.

25 million x 10 = 250 million

250 million - 1 billion = −750 million

I think $10 is per month, so multiply that by 12 to get the $3B

2 more...