Atomfall Profitable at Launch, Sequel Discussed

Atomfall, the hit British survival game developed by Rebellion, has proven to be a remarkable success since its launch on March 27, 2025, across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Despite a significant portion of its 2 million players accessing the game through Xbox Game Pass—meaning they did not purchase the game outright—Atomfall became "immediately profitable" upon release. This achievement underscores the game's strong market performance and the effectiveness of its distribution strategy.

Rebellion has not disclosed specific sales figures but highlighted that Atomfall marked their largest launch to date in terms of player engagement. The inclusion on Xbox Game Pass played a crucial role in reaching this broad audience, allowing subscribers to try the game without a direct purchase.

In an interview with The Game Business, Rebellion confirmed that Atomfall recouped its development costs right away. The studio is now exploring opportunities for sequels or spin-offs while continuing to support the game with post-launch content and DLC.

Rebellion's CEO, Jason Kingsley, in a previous discussion with IGN's sister site GamesIndustry.biz, emphasized that Atomfall's presence on Game Pass did not cannibalize sales. Instead, it provided a disproportionate benefit due to Microsoft's guaranteed income structure, which helps mitigate financial risks for developers. Kingsley noted that Game Pass not only markets the game to a vast audience but also fosters positive word-of-mouth, encouraging both subscribers and non-subscribers to engage with the game.

Microsoft maintains confidentiality regarding its business deals with developers, leaving the specifics of Atomfall's earnings for both Rebellion and Microsoft undisclosed. However, it's clear that both parties benefit from the game's popularity, especially as it draws more subscribers to the Xbox Game Pass, which had 34 million users as of February 2024.

IGN's review of Atomfall praised it as a "gripping survival-action adventure that takes some of the best elements of Fallout and Elden Ring, and synthesizes them into its own fresh mutation," highlighting its unique appeal and successful blend of genres.

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