Microsoft Goes Big with Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft recently added Bethesda — publisher behind hit gaming franchises “Doom,” “Fallout,” and “The Elder Scrolls” — to its Xbox Game Studios division following the acquisition of parent company ZeniMax for $7.5 billion. 

Sunday marked the first-ever showcase for Xbox and Bethesda under one roof. 

The four-day, all-virtual E3 event features a bevy of game publishers, developers, and partners, but on Sunday it was all about Xbox and Bethesda’s Game Pass offerings. 

• Microsoft announced 30 titles, 27 of which will be included with Game Pass.
• In 2022, Bethesda is bringing “Starfield” and “Redfall” exclusively to Xbox.
• Blockbusters “Halo Infinite” and “Forza Horizon 5” will be day one Game Pass releases.

For $9.99 or $14.99 per month, Game Pass provides access to hundreds of games that are playable on Xbox consoles, PCs, and mobile.

With 23 million Game Pass subscribers spending 50% more on content than non-subscribers, Microsoft is focusing on the service for good reason.

During the Epic Games v. Apple trial over commission fees on in-app purchases, it was revealed that Microsoft has never turned a profit on hardware sales from Xbox consoles.

Microsoft partially offsets losses from Xbox hardware by implementing a 30% commission fee on PC game sales. Starting in August, Microsoft’s cut will drop to 12% — the same percentage Epic takes from sales in its store.