Xbox Game Pass continues to be a fundamental pillar in Microsoft’s strategy in the video game area. Those of Redmond the quarter in positive.
Microsoft has released the financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, ended on September 30. The North American firm, which has a multitude of business areas, has registered total revenues of 37.2 billion dollars, which translates into a growth of 12% compared to the same time a year ago; for their part, profits are set at about 13.9 billion dollars, a year-on-year growth of 30%.
Xbox has played a notable role in these results, however. In the breakdown of income from digital services and direct sales of software, Xbox appears with an increase of 30% compared to the same period of the previous year. The company interprets in the official document that the momentum of its first party and third party videogames have helped increase interest in the Xbox ecosystem, where there are three keywords for the present and, above all, the future: Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, different bets for different audiences.
Xbox Game Pass, 15 million players and EA Play this November
With more than 15 million players and an unstoppable upward trend for more than a year, the subscription service is presented as the most versatile solution to expand the gaming business area of the division led by Phil Spencer: it is available in the family of Xbox One consoles, Xbox Series X | S, Windows 10 computers and Android mobile devices. Microsoft is not ruling out bringing Xbox Game Pass to other devices in the future; even smart TVs.
In addition, on the occasion of the premiere of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S this November 10, the platform will add to its equation the catalog of more than 60 games from Electronic Arts, EA Play, at no additional cost for members subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate .
Although Microsoft has not provided specific figures for the reservation period of its new consoles, they have made public that there have been record pre-purchases: “We are overwhelmed,” they said. Despite running out of stock, they assured that there will be more units for the launch of both machines, which will cost 499 euros and 299 euros respectively. Here we leave all their differences.
