Microsoft is seeking to set the record straight on what it meant by one of the line items in the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority’s provisional report on the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard sale.
The comment in the report seemingly admitted that Xbox Game Pass games did indeed cannibalize the sale of the titles included in it, which is a direct contradiction from what Xbox vice president Phil Spencer said back in 2018 on the matter.
Microsoft has now provided an explanation to Eurogamer in regard to the issue and said it doesn’t dispute that Xbox Game Pass subscriptions lead to fewer sales of that game, but that the subscription is still something developers seek out when releasing a game.
“We’re focused on helping game creators of all sizes maximize the total financial value they receive through Game Pass,” Microsoft told Eurogamer. “Each game is unique, so we work closely with creators to build a custom program to reflect what they need, ensure they are compensated financially for their participation in the service, and allow room for creativity and innovation. As a result, the number of developers interested in working with Game Pass continues to grow.”
While it would be incredibly telling to see the report without redactions, it is unlikely that fans will ever know the real numbers behind exactly what Game Pass does to a game that is put on its service in terms of buy-to-play sales. It isn’t surprising to many that games put on it don’t sell as well elsewhere, but it certainly doesn’t have the word-of-mouth weight that Spencer seemed to think it had when he said that Game Pass led to more sales of the game.
