Xbox Game Pass Records Growth After Indiana Jones, Call of Duty, but Hardware Sales Drop

Microsoft's Q2 earnings call revealed that Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny (the game's actual title, not "The Great Circle") has attracted 4 million players. This positive development stands out in an otherwise unremarkable gaming division report. MachineGames' title has earned critical praise, awards, and now a substantial player base. While precise sales figures remain elusive due to its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass, 4 million players represent a significant achievement, especially given the uncertainty surrounding a modern, AAA Indiana Jones game.

We gave the game a glowing review, hailing it as an "irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt," and nominating it for Game of the Year and Best Xbox Game. [Link to full review]

Further Xbox news includes a 30% increase in Game Pass PC subscribers last quarter, setting a new quarterly revenue record. Cloud gaming saw 140 million hours streamed. These factors contributed to a 2% growth in Xbox content and services revenue.

However, challenges remain. Despite exceeding expectations, overall gaming revenue decreased by 7%, and Xbox hardware revenue dropped by 29%.

In summary, Microsoft needs to improve its console and hardware performance. Nevertheless, its ongoing investment in Game Pass is clearly yielding returns. The strong Game Pass PC growth is likely due to several high-profile releases last quarter, including Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (assuming "Black Ops 6" refers to this title), and Microsoft Flight Simulator, all available on Game Pass day one for Ultimate subscribers.