Microsoft Does Not Deny That Including The Xbox Game Pass Affects Sales

Regarding whether a game’s impact on total sales is affected by its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has tried unifying conflicting messages.

Two claims concerning how a game’s base sales are impacted by joining the subscription service need to be clarified.

Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, claimed in 2018 that a game’s inclusion in Xbox Game Pass resulted in “increased sales of that game” since users saw others participating and wanted to do the same.

However, Microsoft recently acknowledged that a game’s availability on Xbox Game Pass resulted in lower basic game sales, as was previously reported by GamesIndustry.biz.

The contradictory statement was included in the preliminary assessment of the UK Competition and Markets Authority on the effects of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The CMA noted in its findings that “Microsoft further submitted that its internal study reveals a [redacted]% reduction in basic game sales 12 months following their installation on Game Pass.”

After seeing the inconsistency, Eurogamer contacted Microsoft to ask for clarification. The gaming behemoth’s response did not directly answer the query.

An Xbox representative responded, “Xbox Game Pass offers gamers and game creators greater choice and opportunity in how they discover, experience, and deliver games. “For gamers, that means giving them another terrific way to discover new games and play with friends. That requires game producers to think of new ways to make money from their games.

Microsoft doesn’t dispute a recent claim that a game’s sales decline the year after it is added to Xbox Game Pass. For older titles joining the subscription collection, that’s a small deal. However, it may worry new releases who fear reporting lower-than-expected sales figures.

Activision Blizzard’s proposed acquisition by Microsoft may have needed help getting past international anti-competition bodies. According to the preliminary report from the UK CMA, the arrangement would hurt gamers. However, there were chances for corrective action.