Photo: Bethesda
Starfield is loved by some and disregarded by others. But no matter your camp, you can't argue with the facts. Especially when they're coming straight from Circana, the former NPD Group.
After almost two years, or more precisely 21 months, and $69 billion, Microsoft finally closed the deal on Activision-Blizzard-King and added some of the world's most popular games to their roster. I said "most popular," not "best in the world," because we all know what's been happening with Diablo's neverending drama for the past few years.
Microsoft's first industry "victim" was ZeniMax Media for the "low-low" price of $7.5 billion, which incorporates Bethesda. Well, "low," compared to the ABK deal, which is mind-staggering when you think it costs almost 10 times as much.
Maybe you, like many other millions, were wondering why Microsoft is going on a buying rampage. Thankfully, we know the answer due to some leaks during the ABK-FTC trial, and it makes perfect sense.
Microsoft's very own Sarah Bond, VP of gaming business development, listed how much certain games would cost to bring on Game Pass, some of which are real wowsers.
GTA V costs between $12 and $15 million monthly to keep on GP, while Red Dead Redemption 2 would be $5 million every month. Wreckfest 2 isn't far off, with $10-$14 million, but as a one-off payment, not monthly.
The more recent titles cost staggeringly more. Assassin's Creed Mirage would have set Microsoft/Xbox back a cool $100 million for Game Pass, which could easily represent half or more of the total production costs.
But these don't even come close to Warner Brothers' Suicide Squad and Mortal Kombat 1 at $250 million each or EA's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for $300 million, Kotaku wrote.
To come full circle to your hypothetical question, after you add up all these enormous sums, you end up with why Microsoft is buying publishers left and right. In more classic terms, it's better for them to buy the cow and the entire farm than to keep buying the milk separately.
Starfield on Game Pass also got to over 10 million players because it's free for subscribers. When you compare it to the latest info about GP subs, 30 million, you'll find that only one-third of them tried out the game.
But what's most interesting, is that in September, it wasn't only in the top 10 charts in the United States, but at the top of its class, at number 1. Not to mention that the game is only on Xbox Series X|S consoles and PC.
What's funny is that PlayStation was the best-selling console during that month, and Starfield still managed to beat Mortal Kombat 1 at no. 2, EA Sports FC 24 at no. 3, Madden NFL 24 in the 4th position, along with other heavy hitters.
Microsoft's first industry "victim" was ZeniMax Media for the "low-low" price of $7.5 billion, which incorporates Bethesda. Well, "low," compared to the ABK deal, which is mind-staggering when you think it costs almost 10 times as much.
Maybe you, like many other millions, were wondering why Microsoft is going on a buying rampage. Thankfully, we know the answer due to some leaks during the ABK-FTC trial, and it makes perfect sense.
Microsoft's very own Sarah Bond, VP of gaming business development, listed how much certain games would cost to bring on Game Pass, some of which are real wowsers.
GTA V costs between $12 and $15 million monthly to keep on GP, while Red Dead Redemption 2 would be $5 million every month. Wreckfest 2 isn't far off, with $10-$14 million, but as a one-off payment, not monthly.
The more recent titles cost staggeringly more. Assassin's Creed Mirage would have set Microsoft/Xbox back a cool $100 million for Game Pass, which could easily represent half or more of the total production costs.
But these don't even come close to Warner Brothers' Suicide Squad and Mortal Kombat 1 at $250 million each or EA's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for $300 million, Kotaku wrote.
To come full circle to your hypothetical question, after you add up all these enormous sums, you end up with why Microsoft is buying publishers left and right. In more classic terms, it's better for them to buy the cow and the entire farm than to keep buying the milk separately.
Starfield on Game Pass also got to over 10 million players because it's free for subscribers. When you compare it to the latest info about GP subs, 30 million, you'll find that only one-third of them tried out the game.
But what's most interesting, is that in September, it wasn't only in the top 10 charts in the United States, but at the top of its class, at number 1. Not to mention that the game is only on Xbox Series X|S consoles and PC.
What's funny is that PlayStation was the best-selling console during that month, and Starfield still managed to beat Mortal Kombat 1 at no. 2, EA Sports FC 24 at no. 3, Madden NFL 24 in the 4th position, along with other heavy hitters.
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