Microsoft had 33.6 million Xbox subscribers as of mid 2022 and roughly 3.1 million PC Game Pass subscribers. Since all Gold subscribers are now Game pass subscribers, this means Microsoft has lost several million subscribers over the last two years.
Numbers are from the leaked FTC court case which also showed subscribers were falling back in 2022.
The only way for a subscription service to meet "gamers AAA expectations" is for the service either charge a much higher price ($80 a month?) or for the service to have a much large install base (150 million?). Now gamers expectations could also change. A $25 a month service that offers 500 3+ year old games could work for everyone.
This article states reviews are "mixed" but then links to a story which talks about how positive critic reviews outnumber negative 4 to 1 and "audience reactions as polled by Comscore/Screen Engine’s Posttrak are through the roof at 5 stars, 91% and 82% definite recommend. They’re numbers any studio would crave."
A quick review of Rotten Tomatoes confirms this with scores of 94% from audiences and 78% from critics. And wasn't this movie just nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes?
I think folks are going to caught off guard by how quickly console games arrive on mobile devices en masse. Mobile devices have already begun to pass the Xbox One/PS4 generation in terms of power and PS5/Xbox Series S/X games scale down.
@Barighm: Her name was Daphne Dorman. I'm not sure if I can place outside links here but a simple search will work since it made headlines when she passed.
If I had bullied a women until she killed herself I wouldn't want to draw national attention to myself...tens of millions more people are going to see this special now.
Thank you for everything Danny! The Point is The Wire of videogame journalism, the peak of the medium and will always hold a special place in our hearts.
You did so much with so little and wherever life takes you, know that you made a dent on us all. Cheers!
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