Microsoft revealed during a special Xbox Podcast episode that there are currently 34 million Game Pass subscribers across console, PC, and cloud.
It’s not clear how that 34 million figure is dispersed exactly among each platform where Game Pass is offered. However, Xbox head Phil Spencer offered a bit of insight into that, telling Stephen Totilo's Game File newsletter that the service has recently seen strong growth across PC and cloud. He also confirmed that each of the 34 million Game Pass members is a paying subscriber.
“When there’s a fixed number of console players on the planet you’re not going to grow Game Pass forever by shipping just on consoles,” Spencer said. “So we’re seeing really significant growth on PC, which is great, and cloud.”
The Verge has also confirmed with Microsoft that that 34 million number includes Xbox Game Pass Core. For those unfamiliar, last summer, Microsoft phased out its Xbox Live Gold program, and starting on September 14, those who were still subscribed to the service saw their accounts automatically upgraded to a new tier called Game Pass Core. At the time, the company described the service as an evolution of Gold that gives players access to a limited portion of the Game Pass library.
Interestingly, in today's Xbox blog post, Microsoft announced that "Diablo IV will be available to play by the 34 million Game Pass subscribers on both PC and Xbox consoles beginning March 28!" That would seem to imply that it would be available to Core subscribers, but that's currently unclear.
The latest Xbox update
Our last official Game Pass numbers update arrived in early 2022, when the company announced it had reached 25 million subscribers. In November of that same year, Sony reported that the service had grown to 29 million users. Depending on the subscription plan, Xbox Game Pass is currently available across consoles, PC, and cloud-supported devices.
Microsoft hasn’t clarified how many Xbox Series X | S consoles have been sold. However, thanks to a recent financial report from Take-Two Interactive, we can estimate that the company has moved around 27 million units.
Today’s Game Pass update arrives alongside news that Xbox will soon be bringing some of its previous exclusive titles to rival platforms like Nintendo and PlayStation consoles. Only four titles are said to be making the leap for now. This is all as Microsoft looks to the future to deliver its next console.
As fans brace for the future of Xbox, they can look forward to Activision Blizzard titles on Game Pass. The first addition, as mentioned above, will be Diablo 4 on March 28.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
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