Microsoft has provided updated figures for its Game Pass membership, marking the first update since January 2022. According to Microsoft gaming head Phil Spencer, the on-demand gaming service now boasts 34 million “fully paid” subscribers, with notable growth observed in the PC and cloud sectors.
Spencer shared this information in a conversation with journalist Stephen Totilo for his Game File newsletter, preceding the highly anticipated Xbox ‘business update’ podcast. During this podcast, Microsoft addressed long-standing speculations by revealing plans to make several of its previously Xbox-exclusive first-party games available on PS5 and Switch.
Regarding the recent Game Pass figures, Spencer reassured Totilo that the 9 million subscribers gained since January 2022—bringing the total to 25 million at that time—were all “fully paid” and excluded promotional players. He emphasized that these were genuine, paying subscribers.
Spencer clarified that the number of Xbox Live Gold members now counted as Game Pass subscribers, following the service’s rebranding to Game Pass Core last year, was relatively small. He noted that a significant portion of the new subscribers originated from the PC and cloud platforms.
Explaining the strategic significance of expanding beyond consoles, Spencer highlighted the limited potential for growth solely within the console market. He emphasized the substantial growth observed in the PC and cloud sectors.
Today’s Game Pass update coincides with Microsoft’s affirmation that the subscription service will remain exclusive to Xbox platforms. This announcement aims to alleviate concerns among Xbox owners following the confirmation that four first-party Xbox games will be released on PlayStation 5 and Switch.
Furthermore, Microsoft revealed that Diablo 4 will soon join the Game Pass library, marking the first Activision Blizzard title to be included since Microsoft’s acquisition of the publisher for $69 billion last year. To address fears about the future of Xbox hardware, Xbox president Sarah Bond assured fans that Microsoft is actively developing a “next-generation” Xbox, promising a significant leap in technical capabilities.
