Xbox Game Pass Didn't Hurt Overall Black Ops 6 Sales, Says Analyst

But did sales drop on Xbox? Did gp get a big boost? They are the more interesting figures.

Because if PC are buying it, they haven’t moved over to PC gamepass, why?

But regardless it’s all money for MS. But even more importantly it released good, one of the better in the series and gamers are enjoying it.

It will be interesting to see the long term affect. According to xbox, the highest engagement is coming from xbox players.

A few years of marketing and xbox leading the COD engagement from players and xbox will likely start to see the casuals associate the game with xbox before anything else. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the massive audience that only plays COD and their favorite sports title(s) start to consider an xbox more for their next console.

Either way, the game is a massive success and the franchise is clearly not dying like it was perceived at the time of the acquisition.

As far as i can tell, atleast from these early stages, is that people on other platforms will likely not shift en masse over to Gamepass. Instead, they’d rather buy the game than subscribe to another service.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner Sadly MS keeps the Game Pass figures close to their chest rather than be public like some sales figures.

The lack of transparency sucks as it means the publishers can keep that info for their own benefit. Same goes for steaming services for TV and movies.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner As i understand it, the share of Playstation remained the same or increased. So as far as i can tell, people aren't going to Xbox, or Gamepass by extension, en masse.

If people shifted to Gamespass from PS, at a large scale, we would've at least seen a lowering in sales from the PS side.

So despite the game being on gamepass more people opted to buy the game for PC & Playstation.

Looks like the gamepass effect everyone was hoping for isn't coming to fruition. PC and Playstation gamers don't care about gamepass and it is not changing or affecting their purchase behavior, unlike on Xbox where sales dropped.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner "Because if PC are buying it, they haven’t moved over to PC gamepass, why?"

Because PC gamers hate Windows Store versions of games - plain and simple. They would rather be able to buy it on Steam than use the Microsoft Store version that is essentially a completely locked up version of the game (i.e. unless the game has official Mod support built into the game, you can't touch any of the game files).

Now, if Microsoft were able to cut a deal with Steam where users could link Game Pass subscriptions and download Steam versions, I bet that would boost GP subs on PC - but it would also cannibalize Steam sales (so the deal would need to be massive).

@LogicStrikesAgain I didn’t expect PS players to migrate (unless they own multiple consoles)

It was more the PC crowd, who seem to be still buying it on steam etc than sun to PC gamepass, and as a none PC gamer I’m more curious as to why they haven’t

Edit @gamingfan4lyf has explained it! So thx

@oopsiezz That’s how I’m interpreting it as well. I think it goes to show that people are still willing to buy games rather than signing up for a subscription service. I mean, look at Stalker 2, which already sold a couple of million dollars in two days. The truth is, as much as Game Pass is great for consumers, it ultimately is not sustainable.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner No, but i think MS was interested in whether that would happen or not. If there ever was a game that might have moved the needle, it must have been this game.

This is a first time I've seen a Bluesky post used as a source instead of X/Twitter. Times are changing, and hopefully for the better.

I did nothing for Xbox as we know our old xbox as in consoles and GP.

But for Microsoft games studios it was 82% sold to PS5.

@GamingFan4Lyf "Because PC gamers hate Windows Store versions of games - plain and simple. They would rather be able to buy it on Steam than use the Microsoft Store version that is essentially a completely locked up version of the game (i.e. unless the game has official Mod support built into the game, you can't touch any of the game files)."

It depends. As a PC player, right now my preference is the Xbox/Windows store because Microsoft is pushing PlayAnywhere and owned game streaming, which could be very interesting in the future... A single purchase in the MS ecosystem could offer me flexibility in where I play. GOG is my second choice, followed by Steam and its huge library, you can't miss anything there!

So everything works just fine. Each storefront serves a unique purpose, and consumers who can recognize this can make purchases where they perceive the most benefit.

Never been a Call of Duty player, but I’ve worked in the retail side of things for a time, and this whole thing should come as no surprise to anyone.

A game that historically sold better on PlayStation, would likely continue to sell better on that platform, especially if that platform has a larger install base, regardless of owner of the game title.

The only way to force more sales of the Xbox version would have been to offer exclusivity, which would have hurt overall sales.

For anyone who, like myself, is a GPU subscriber, just think about how many games you still purchase even though it’s on GPU….. I still buy most of the major titles I want just in case I don’t feel like subscribing to GPU for a time, or I can’t afford it, or the internet goes out.

For a lot of us GPU allows us to have access to a bunch of games we otherwise wouldn’t have bought or couldn’t afford to also buy, but a game series we are fans of, well game pass isn’t going to change if we were to buy the game or not in most cases. It’s a great service to give you further access to your games, give you instant access when your digital library is low like when you first purchase a system, and a great continued way to try out new titles.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner

"Because if PC are buying it, they haven’t moved over to PC gamepass, why?"

Speaking as a PC gamer I'm just in the habit of buying my games outright, particularly from GoG where the ownership is a lot more real. I have used GP and appreciate the appeal, but I prefer to simply buy my games. To look at it another way: I'm a prolific reader and still prefer to buy my books rather than renting them via a library.

@Wisegamer It makes sense if you are a hybrid Xbox/PC gamer. But for the PC purists, anywhere else is a better option than the Microsoft Store.

I personally have no problems with it.

I am glad I have some of the digital library I had on Xbox carried over to PC - saves me money now that I don't have a Series X anymore.

Plus, I have GPU until at least 2026, so I am enjoying the benefits on PC as well.

Don't support Game Pass and never will.

Haven't bought this either as I don't support Activision and never will.

I honestly don't care if it hurt Xbox financially or not because it didn't hurt me financially because it was on gamepass Microsoft don't worry about my finances I definitely don't worry about there's haha

@TeiGekiLord I support your message always will🧑‍🌾

Black ops 6 sales are 23% higher than modern Warfare 3 over the same time frame. Non mobile gaming subscriptions was up 16% year over year for october. According to IGN, this is largely due to COD on gamepass (starfield and forza motorsport hit gamepass around this time last year)

@Ricky-Spanish

Woo, thanking you my friend.

MS finally figured out how to win the console wars. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

I'm not a COD player, only time I've ever played CoD was the 2 WiiU ones, Ghosts, and I guess it was MW2? BLOPS2? Can't remember just because I was desperate for WiiU games. Tried the free one Sony gave out at Layden's last E3 and could barely be bothered with it, it bored me to tears. Trying this one just because it's "free" on GP-PC, and I'm really enjoying the campaign. I wouldn't pay $70 for this. I wouldn't pay $40 for this. I'd questionably pay $25 for this. For $13, it's a good old time. Feels like a Naughty Dog game with better shooting mechanics. You don't have to use your head much, just sit back and watch the colors popcorn fun for idle entertainment kind of fun. Although this might be the campiest thing I've ever seen, and I say that as an 80's and 90's sci-fi fan........

@LogicStrikesAgain To be fair, it's a long term thing. People aren't all going to sell their PS and buy an XB just because one game is on CoD. The strategy has to revolve around building a long term value proposition so that when people are shopping for their NEXT console...PS6, PS7, even, they stop and think of Xbox having more value for them instead.

Only problem with that strategy is MS has the attention span of a goldfish and will get tired of waiting and move onto a different one by the time any payoff could happen.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner @GamingFan4Lyf You would think, you would REALLY think, they would fix their Windows Store. It's not just that the games are locked up (which is insane), but also that it's missing most games so you couldn't chose that platform for most games even if you wanted to and would have to use Steam or Epic anyway, so why not just use it always? And beyond that is the fact that it's just flat out freaking broken most of the time and ends up with all kinds of DRM issues due to some magic server error that doesn't show up on the Xbox server status page as a problem, but always fixes itself over time. It's just such a bad platform.

That's where GPPC kicks in. You start the game free on Windows store and then your save is there and you don't switch later. I think that's its secret purpose

That having been said, IMO BO6 is the perfect game to still get on GP and Windows Store, it's a short and sweet one and done campaign, modding isn't super huge on CoD anyway because the main show is MP which can't be modded much due to anticheat, and it's a game that's good for one year before the MP moves onto the next.

Having Switched to GPPC from GPU I got to play BLOPS6 for $13, seems like a perfect game for the service if you're not a hardcore CoD online player. Not keen on the 200+GB install that forces you to install MW3 and WZ and the icon for the launcher shows up as WW2 though before you can later remove them though. Windows Store is a mess.

@GamingFan4Lyf

"Because PC gamers hate Windows Store versions of games - plain and simple."

That is also another reason. Windows Store is mostly awful. Slow and cumbersome. The Xbox app itself is perfectly fine though. For myself I lean more towards GoG than Steam, but I still have a couple of hundred games on Valve's platform.

@oopsiezz there was zero advertisement that game is on GamePass. All real world ads DIDN'T include text "Available on GamePass". I would easily say, Xbox did everything to hide it from casual people who doesnt follow up xbox/gamepass related stuff.

On the Xbox and PC, all you needed was Game Pass. On the Playstation, you had to spend $70, so Playstation dominated nothing! lol

@NEStalgia I do wonder why a lot of publishers skip Microsoft Store on PC. I get why GOG would be skipped as games 100% have to be DRM-free (and some publishers probably don't want that for modern games).

But I would think Microsoft Store would be a publishers dream since games are so tightly controlled on that side.

Maybe a Game Pass requirement as most modern games that release on Microsoft Store also released on Game Pass at one point?
Maybe Microsoft takes more of a cut than the other store fronts?
Maybe a more strict certification check on Microsoft Store?
I can't imagine the API for Achievements and stuff would be anymore more or less difficult than the Xbox version of a game, so I can't imagine that would be an issue - or maybe it is?

@Dalamar73 I have debated using GOG more than Steam, but the DRM-free requirement seems like a deterrent for a lot of publishers and the games I want aren't listed there.

The only games I have actually bought on GOG are some classic point-and-click adventure games, Warcraft 1 & 2, Diablo, The Witcher 2, and Cyberpunk 2077. I get a ton of free games for GOG off Prime Gaming and other various giveaways (I got The Witcher and the Witcher 3 for free somehow, but don't remember the specifics).

I really should consider GOG more, though, as it really is the only platform where you have some semblance of "full ownership" of your games (assuming you want to store the offline installers somewhere, that is).

@GamingFan4Lyf

Yes GoG doesn't have as many new, big releases, but as you rightly point out buying from GoG there is much more to the idea of ownership. Unlike Steam etc you don't even need the Galaxy launcher, you can just store your games in a created folder and launch from the exe directly.

The sheer amount classics available via the platform is superb, even better that GoG have recently announced that they're updating older games so they run more efficient on new hardware/software.

That so many AAA publishers are reluctant to put their newest titles on there speaks volumes about how much control they want over the products you put money down for.

@GamingFan4Lyf It's weird, you'd think MS could offer a good fee to beat competitors (20% instead of 30% or something.) And I doubt there's a GP requirement, I think it's the other way around, GP games have to be on Windows Store because it's necessary to function, therefore the only games that end up there are the ones with GP because they have to be there for GP. You'd think if they're on Epic they'd want to be on Windows too....it's not like anybody buys anything on either, lol. I think it's just that Windows store has so few users and poor sales metrics (who BUYS games on Windows store by choice unless they have a GP save or an Xbox?) there's just no point.

I love GoG, but there's basically nothing on it. Ironically Horizon Zero Dawn, some of the Yakuza games but not all, BG3, and of course CDPR games, but the rest is all for old stuff. And I think that's the thing it was meant exclusively for retro games. A lot of people got annoyed when they tried to make it for mainstream games and it wasn't financially working great for them, meanwhile it's the best place for retro games because unlike steam they test/patch them. Most big publishers won't touch DRM-free with a 1000ft pole. Amazed Sony is one that did!

It didn’t hurt sale but PS still sold more. Of course , Xbox will make mega money on this but it shows that more people would rather play on PS and pay for it than on Xbox. When will Spencer wake up?

@Romans12 PS owners do own the game afterwards, Game pass subscribers need to pay for their subscription indefinitely if they want to keep those games. It’s buying vs renting. And im not knocking it btw, to each their own. But i wouldn't call it better per se. Its very dependant on personal preference, whether Game pass actually is a better option.

@LogicStrikesAgain

Dedicated/full time CoD players would have done the maths. Irrespective of platform it works out cheaper to buy the game outright as opposed to renting it on a continued basis.

Thats what i thought. I think it was a smart move. They still got the sales from PC and PS5. They got new GPU subs and probably some existing GP users upgraded to ultimate. And its the game that has a long engagement with audience so people likely continue subbing and it requires online so anyways you need GP core at min on xbox.
In my eyes COD is a big boost to GP value so definitely a win. As i play it regularly i kinda make 60% of the GPU cost per year back in one month, thats crazy good value. Overall, I care less how much money MS make or lose, I just enjoy the GP while it lasts.

@OldGamer999 black friday sale in US/Canada started and ps5 is cheaper than xbox (digital vs digital, regular vs regular).
Plus the new marketing campaign.
I think its pretty clear.
Honestly dont even see a point of discussing console sales anymore for xbox. I guess its enough that they keep doing hardware and thats important but I would not expect down the road to have a better console experience on xbox.

No-one was going to ditch their PS5 and spend money on an Xbox just to play CoD via Game Pass - therefore you'd expect the people that 'buy' CoD every year on PS5 would still buy CoD this year too - but as SOME on Xbox may choose to buy, others may already have Game Pass so decided not to buy (but also no extra Sub) and some may choose to Subscribe instead so drop in sales - If Xbox sells 'fewer' as well as PC may sell 'fewer' too because of Game Pass, then PS5 will have a higher percentage of 'SALES'

However, that does not mean they have the highest number of players because they have over 50% of sales (they could) - its just not the 'ONLY' metric. Some don't count Digital for example and Xbox Gamers are more likely to buy Digitally than Playstation in general.

All that matters is the Game is Successful and reaches the people however they 'Choose' to play and/or access their games - whether they choose to play on Cloud, Console or PC.

@Millionski Whilst enough people want a 'low cost' PC in a Console format to enable people to game without the 'cost' of a high end PC system required to play them, Microsoft will no doubt continue to make Hardware.

The reason they built the OG Xbox was to bring 'PC' Gaming to the masses - hence internal HDD, Internet etc that is 'Standard' today. The Xbox is called Xbox because its 'DirectX' in a 'Box'.

They make Surface Laptops - Windows Tablets with their Software in mind - even though you can buy 'alternatives' so they don't really 'need' to make them, compete in sales or require them to run their Software - yet they obviously sell enough to keep making them when they have far more Competition.

Lets be honest here, Until Cloud can surpass what 'cheap' Hardware can offer, there will be a need for an Xbox Console. If you had to spend $1k/£1k+ on Console Hardware just to play the 'newest' releases (at 30fps and/or 1080p with FSR) when Cloud can stream 1080/60 with much higher quality Visuals and RT because its running in the cloud, maybe MS will pull out of the 'Console' Space as Dedicated Gamers will build their own Hardware - like Audiophiles build their own music systems and Film buffs their own Cinema Room...

Well it makes sense more people would buy the game on Playstation as they are forced to buy it on Playstation while it's free for online subscribers on Xbox.

@BAMozzy i am sure they will keep making consoles at least until cloud is good enough and wide-spread. Feels like its still years and years until it happens. I am sure xbox share will be shrinking though and like it or not, they wont care much about the xbox console playerbase. Thats the vibe I am getting right now. Value proposition is still there with GP but pricing is dangerously close to what would most people consider expensive for subscription service.
Its like for xbox you have to be that specific audience who doesnt care about exclusives, doesnt care about controller features, doesnt care about 3rd party support and so on. And basically it comes down to people who just want to save money with series s or GP or people who already have xbox with a sizeable collection.

@JayJ Free for online subscribers? Thats not really a fair comparison though. Subscription isn’t free. Thats like saying the game is free for PS owners after they pay for it. Both require a payment to access the game, just through different ways. One is a direct purchase and the other is through an ongoing rent subscription model.

@LogicStrikesAgain Well have fun trying to play this very online oriented game on Playstation without PS+

@JayJ Some people enjoy only the single player. But besides that, I thought we were addressing whether the game is free or not.

I don't intend on playing this game, but thank you anyway.

@LogicStrikesAgain Well you seem desperate to argue with people on the internet.

@JayJ Just calling out inconsistencies when i see them. I don't like misinformation being spread. Im sorry if you didn't like it.

If you believe that propaganda

@LogicStrikesAgain

Those who claim to be getting their games for free while paying for a monthly subscription clearly didn't do basic economics at school.

gasp say it ain't so! 😂. As an avid GP player I actually end up buying and playing more games than I would have otherwise.

I never buy CoD new as I only play campaign. At least in GP I can play sooner. While MS typically keeps most of their active IP on GP, not all games stay indefinitely. I tend to bounce around on games and more than a few times I've come back to a game and it left GP so I buy it on sale.