- Xbox Game Pass has seen multiple price hikes over the years, resulting in an irreparable loss of subscribers.
- Last year’s 50% price increase led millions of subscribers to abandon the service.
- The future of Game Pass looks brighter under Asha Sharma, especially after the recent price drop.
Some dubbed Xbox Game Pass the most reliable subscription service for gaming due to its plethora of daily offerings at tempting prices. However, this belief has been increasingly challenged over the years after the service went through several price hikes.
Last year saw arguably the most unexpected 50% price increase for Game Pass, and a new report confirms that it has done steep damage.
An Xbox executive explained that ‘millions of subscribers’ just walked away from the service after the price hike.
Why it matters: Xbox Game Pass was projected to hit 100 million subscribers by 2030 before price hikes began, which would have only been possible with droves of new subscribers joining steadily. Now, that milestone seems more unfeasible than ever.
Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley reports on X that Xbox CSO Matthew Ball attended an interview at The Game Business Live, clarifying that Xbox shed millions of its loyal subscribers after Game Pass no longer felt worthwhile for them last year.
The last official reported Game Pass figures hovered around 35 to 38 million, so the current numbers might be closer to 30 million at this point.
Xbox Boss Asha Sharma was quick to notice the declining state of Game Pass after taking the mantle. She introduced a decent price cut that has seen some player boost. However, a large chunk of the users who left the service have yet to return.
On a brighter note, Xbox Game Pass appears to be heading in a positive direction, with rumors of a first-party only tier and a flexible service that would let you essentially set your own features and pricing.
Game Pass now needs to more than triple in size to meet its 100 million milestone by 2030, which might be possible under the new leadership if the service keeps impressing and gaining new players.
Do you think Xbox and its Game Pass service will be able to recover under the new leadership? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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