According to a recent Microsoft earnings conference, Xbox set a new monthly active user record. This announcement comes only one day before the Xbox Developer Direct, which will include titles from both Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda.
Despite being a relatively recent participant in the gaming business, Xbox remains one of the most popular platforms in the current gaming landscape. Much of its recent success may be credited to the widespread availability of the Xbox Game Pass, which has provided millions of gamers with fast access to high-profile titles such as Persona 4 Golden and Monster Hunter Rise. These accomplishments have persisted despite some noteworthy setbacks, including layoffs, the present situation of Halo Infinite under developer 343 Industries, and an FTC complaint over the purchase of Activision Blizzard.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed in a second-quarter earnings conference on Tuesday that the monthly active user count for Xbox had hit 120 million. He also said that Xbox Game Pass memberships had achieved “new highs,” because of Xbox’s collaboration with Riot Titles, which provides players with access to premium content in games like Valorant and League of Legends. Nadella also noted the titles presently in development by Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax, stating that additional information about these games would be revealed during tomorrow’s presentation.
The revelation of these record-breaking user numbers came about a week after Microsoft announced major layoffs. These cutbacks are especially detrimental to its gaming sector, which includes developers such as Bethesda Game Studios and Xbox Game Studios. Despite the absence of first-party Xbox games in the last year, the sustained success of the Xbox Game Pass is a key component in these figures.
Much of the recent headlines surrounding Microsoft’s gaming company have stemmed from last year’s contentious announcement of Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard, which has drawn greater attention from regulatory authorities and the gaming community. This uproar has been fueled by the merger’s enormous price tag of about $68 billion. This acquisition, along with the disclosure of these new records, has done nothing to quiet wider criticism of Microsoft’s leadership. While the Xbox brand is still successful, its public image has been deteriorating, and it will be up to those in control to assist relieve these worries.
