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Xbox Game Pass Subscriber History from July 2017 to February 2020

When did you start consistently subscribing to Game Pass?

  • 2017

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • 2018

    Votes: 5 15.2%
  • 2019

    Votes: 4 12.1%
  • 2020

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • 2021

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • 2022

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • 2023

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Never

    Votes: 11 33.3%

  • Total voters
    33

Welfare

Staff
Scholar Archivist Staff
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Graph was disclosed in one of the FTC evidence documents

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As this is based on pixel counting, I'll be rounding to the nearest 10,000

YearMonthSubscribers as of MonthChange in Subscribers
2017​
July
460,000​
2017​
August
580,000​
+120,000​
2017​
September
700,000​
+120,000​
2017​
October
760,000​
+60,000​
2017​
November
1,300,000​
+540,000​
2017​
December
1,360,000​
+60,000​
2018​
January
1,580,000​
+220,000​
2018​
February
1,500,000​
-80,000​
2018​
March
1,750,000​
+250,000​
2018​
April
2,430,000​
+680,000​
2018​
May
2,560,000​
+130,000​
2018​
June
3,130,000​
+570,000​
2018​
July
2,940,000​
-190,000​
2018​
August
3,250,000​
+310,000​
2018​
September
3,430,000​
+180,000​
2018​
October
3,410,000​
-20,000​
2018​
November
4,010,000​
+600,000​
2018​
December
4,770,000​
+760,000​
2019​
January
5,070,000​
+300,000​
2019​
February
5,320,000​
+250,000​
2019​
March
5,340,000​
+20,000​
2019​
April
5,800,000​
+460,000​
2019​
May
6,650,000​
+850,000​
2019​
June
7,760,000​
+1,110,000​
2019​
July
7,920,000​
+160,000​
2019​
August
7,870,000​
-50,000​
2019​
September
8,780,000​
+910,000​
2019​
October
9,070,000​
+290,000​
2019​
November
9,390,000​
+320,000​
2019​
December
11,250,000​
+1,860,000​
2020​
January
11,930,000​
+680,000​
2020​
February
11,910,000​
-20,000​

Sales added by year
2017: +1,360,000
2018: +3,410,000
2019: +6,480,000
2020: ~7,000,000 (18M announced January 2021)
2021: ~7,000,000 (25M announced January 2021)

Major Impacts (Defined by me)
2017​
July
2017​
August
2017​
SeptemberArgentina, Brazil, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey and UAE launch September 1
2017​
OctoberXbox One S Starter Bundle (3 Months Game Pass)
2017​
November
2017​
DecemberGears of War 4
2018​
JanuaryJanuary 23, 2018 - All Xbox 1st party games day and date announced
2018​
February
2018​
MarchSea of Thieves
2018​
April
2018​
MayState of Decay 2
2018​
June4 Star Wars games, Elder Scrolls Online, Disneyland Adventure
2018​
JulyRocket League
2018​
AugustRush: A Disney Pixar Adventure
2018​
SeptemberHalo: The Master Chief Collection
2018​
OctoberForza Horizon 4, Hello Neighbor
2018​
NovemberPUBG
2018​
DecemberMortal Kombat X
2019​
JanuaryARK
2019​
FebruaryShadow of the Tomb Raider, The Walking Dead: Season One + Two, Crackdown 3
2019​
MarchFallout 4, Just Cause 4
2019​
AprilMinecraft, Monster Hunter: World, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
2019​
MayBlack Desert Online, Dead by Daylight, Descenders
2019​
JuneJune 9, 2019 - Game Pass Ultimate / Game Pass PC
2019​
JulyUndertale
2019​
AugustThe Jackbox Party Pack 2, Devil May Cry 5
2019​
SeptemberGears 5, Jump Force
2019​
OctoberThe Outer Worlds
2019​
NovemberAge of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Subnautica, Hearts of Iron IV
2019​
DecemberThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Halo: Reach, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, Overcooked! 2, Untitled Goose Game
2020​
JanuaryGrand Theft Auto V, Tekken 7, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet
2020​
FebruaryKingdom Hearts III, Final Fantasy XV, The Jackbox Party Pack 3, Two Point Hospital

Milestones
1 Million: November 2017
2 Million: April 2018
3 Million: June 2018 (August 2018)
4 Million: November 2018
5 Million: January 2019
6 Million: May 2019
7 Million: June 2019
8 Million: September 2019
9 Million: October 2019
10 Million - 11 Million: December 2019
 
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I only sign up for Game Pass when there's a day one game that I want to play and complete for an $11 monthly rental. I then cancel. Next day one game for me will be in 2024 only because I know Starfield will be too massive to complete in a month so for the first time since Gears of War 5 in 2019, im buying a Microsoft first party game. 2024 should be great though for me with Avowed, Hellblade 2, Towerborne and Flintlock. So that's how I use Game Pass and will continue to do so.
 
I've subbed to gamepass roughly since its inception I believe. It doesnt fit the way I game (90% Destiny and a rare maybe once a year AAA purchase beyond that), but since I always keep Live Gold anyway, using the $1 trick for free GP the last few years was a no brainer.

That said MS is making it tough on me. Since they are charging the GP trick to a 3:2 conversion instead of 1:1, it is making me wonder if it's worth it. I might just go with GP core, and buy the few titles I want. I wouldn't miss much on GP maybe Halo infinite (the biggie) and Forza Horizon, but Forza is on core I think. That said I worked out the price and I think it's still only like $7 a month at a 3:2 conversion, and that seems pretty worth it. The hard part is paying for 2-3 years of Live at 120-180 all at once. But I checked and my GP doesnt expire til like Oct 19, so I have a while to decide and plenty of time to try out Starfield and Forza Motorsport.
 
I di d the conversion when I bought a Series S back in 2021. I never owned an Xbox so I was able to play a bunch of back catalog games, which was nice, bit the shiny and new AAA games have been lacking. Obviously that tide is about to turn and when my sub is up next April I will definitely re-up.
 
I've been subscribed to GamePass Ultimate since late 2019. I did the conversion thing back then, which made it fairly inexpensive for 3 years. Since then, I added several more months with various promotions (Pizza Pops, Pringles, etc.), and just topped up another 3 years a month or two ago just with Rewards points. So it's been a great deal for me - I've been subbed from 2019 through July 2026, all for an inexpensive starting package of conversion + $1 month + a bunch of bonus months that got included for redeeming each 3-month subscription. Played through a ton of games as well - a bunch of great indie titles, some good stuff from the EA Play catalog (Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, etc.), and some of the MS 1st-party stuff. Outstanding value, all in all.
 
Had a 6 month run in 2018 I think (or if it was 2019?), then got 3 years at the launch of series X

It's been a waste for me and I wont re-sub in November this year based on promise alone but first when they actually delivers something interesting for me, which seems like a real problem for MS this gen (shout out to Hi-Fi rush though, real cool one)
 
Great thread, will be very interesting to see the impact Starfield will have this quarter on subs.

Starfield most definitely should be the main driver for Game Pass subs in September. What's also noteworthy that many people probably aren't aware of/are overlooking is that in addition to Starfield, there are other potentially, huge drivers releasing in the same month. We have these titles releasing into Game Pass in September, in addition to Starfield releasing on 9/6:

9/19 - Lies of P - There was a free demo on the current gen consoles & Steam that was downloaded 1+ mil times. Seems like people are excited for the game, as there appears to be a bit of hype/excitement around the game. Let's see how it reviews.

9/20 - Party Animals - 3rd most wishlisted game on Steam right now, only behind Starfield & Hollow Knight Silk Song.

9/21 - Payday 3 - 6th most wishlisted game on Steam right now. Payday 2, a nearly 10 year old game, was/continues to be a massive seller on Steam. Steam version currently has 410,084 reviews and was the 32nd most played game in the last 24 hrs on Steam.

9/29 - Cocoon - I don't foresee this game being a huge seller, but I do see this potentially being just a very good game, potentially a game scoring in the mid 80's/90's. It's being done by the same designer as Limbo & Inside, which were both pretty groundbreaking titles for their time and they sold pretty well also. Let's see how the game reviews.

So, yeah, if there is any month this year where Game Pass subs should skyrocket, it's September. If we don't see a sizeable jump in Game Pass subs in September, then that makes me question if we've already reached the peak for Game Pass subs and that there just isn't much more room for growth anymore.
 
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I'd also add the potential of ABK closing in August/September and the possible quick addition of the Activision and Blizzard catalogs could also still be a major driver this quarter.
 
The restructuring of Xbox Live into Gamepass Core will automatically lead to an "increase" in Gamepass subscribers. While it's effectively only a change in accounting, it will also finally allow us to properly compare the numbers to PS+.
 
I'd also add the potential of ABK closing in August/September and the possible quick addition of the Activision and Blizzard catalogs could also still be a major driver this quarter.

Good point. If the deal fully closes and we start seeing Activison/Blizzard titles come into Game Pass in Aug/Sept, then, yeah, those should be huge drivers as well. September could potentially be a truly huge month for Game Pass subs.

The restructuring of Xbox Live into Gamepass Core will automatically lead to an "increase" in Gamepass subscribers. While it's effectively only a change in accounting, it will also finally allow us to properly compare the numbers to PS+.

Yeah, the timing/introduction of Game Pass Core is September. Completely forgot about that.
 
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The restructuring of Xbox Live into Gamepass Core will automatically lead to an "increase" in Gamepass subscribers. While it's effectively only a change in accounting, it will also finally allow us to properly compare the numbers to PS+.
I didn't even think of this haha.

The next update we get will probably put Game Pass over 40M lol. ABK, Starfield, and converting every Gold sub into Game Pass.
 
Adding what MS said about GP subscriptions during their previous financial results. I think the next quarter will also show notable growth since they added GP PC to 40 additional countries last April.

September 2020: 15 million subscribers
Q1 2021 "continued momentum"
Q2 2021: growth
January 2021: 18 million subscribers
Q3 2021: growth
Q4 2021: growth
Q1 2022: growth
Q2 2022: growth
January 2022: 25 million subscribers
Q3 2022: growth
Q4 2022: growth
Q1 2023: growth
Q2 2023: growth (Nadella saying "new highs")
Q3 2023: growth
 
They appear to get a boost every June, which is usually when E3 happens.

Good observation. They do seem to get a nice boost in June each year. Game Pass gift cards on Amazon US got a nice sales rankings boost last month (June), which again, coincided with the June showcase.

Month1 month gpu amazon sales rankings3 month gpu amazon sales rankings
Jan 20231548
Feb 20231550
Mar 20231944
Apr 20232352
May 20233393
June 20231035
 
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