Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Says Game Pass ‘Cloud Hours’ Are Up 45%, Engagement Momentum ‘Encouraging’
CEO of gaming at Microsoft, Phil Spencer, has revealed that compared to this time last year, Game Pass cloud hours are up 45%.
Spencer said Microsoft was “building a future where gaming is more accessible that ever,” and measures progress by looking at engagement, the “momentum” for which he described as “encouraging.” He also reported that console cloud streaming hours are also up 45%, and 24% more on “other devices.”
“Progress is also about more choice for players — play what you want, where you want — and that’s what drives us forward,” he added. “Thanks to Team Xbox, our partners, and our players for helping make this vision real.”
Without a baseline measure, though, its difficult to assess just how impactful this is for Xbox, not least because cloud gaming is available as part of Xbox Game Pass, and Microsoft’s shock price rise for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate last month saw prices jump 50% from $19.99 to $29.99 in the U.S., resulting in anger, cancellations, and frantic subscription stacking. Microsoft does not make Game Pass subscriber numbers public, nor does it say how many Xbox consoles it’s sold. It tends not to announce game sales, either.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft has said Game Pass reached a new annual record of nearly $5 billion in revenue this year, following the launches of The Elder Scrolls Oblivion: Remastered, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Microsoft has insisted “creator participation” and “player engagement” in Game Pass are at an all-time high, without providing hard numbers.
Interestingly, Spencer’s latest comments come as rumors swirl that Microsoft is reportedly set to launch a free version of Xbox Cloud Gaming with ads for PC, Xbox consoles, handheld devices, and the web. A version of Xbox Cloud Gaming supported by ads is reportedly being tested internally, and would not require a Game Pass subscription. A public test is said to be coming soon.
Xbox Games Series Tier List
Xbox Games Series Tier List
It’s been a rocky year all round for the company. In July, amid layoffs that swept through Xbox, the founder of Microsoft-owned Arkane Studios hit out at Game Pass, calling the subscription model “unsustainable.” Raphael Colantonio, who founded the Dishonored and Prey developer and served as its president before leaving in 2017 to start Weird West maker WolfEye Studios, took to social media to ask: “Why is no-one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass).”
The cost of being an Xbox fan has also been a hot topic this year. After announcing a jump to $80 for its games due out this holiday, Microsoft backtracked to stick with $70 for the likes of The Outer Worlds 2. It also raised the price of Xbox consoles in the U.S. not once but twice, blaming “changes in the macroeconomic environment.” Microsoft similarly raised eyebrows when it confirmed a $999.99 price tag for the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld, and $599.99 for the ROG Xbox Ally.
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Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
