Xbox Game Pass Hits 15 Million Subscribers

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Xbox Game Pass has hit a particularly notable milestone, as Microsoft has confirmed that more than 15 million people have now subscribed to the service. The news came as part of the press release announcing Microsoft's purchase of ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks. Video game streaming has been a bit of a tough sell for some, as a lot of gamers still prefer purchasing physical copies of software. However, it seems clear that Game Pass is becoming a very enticing option for a lot of people, and it seems like that will become more likely in the next console generation.

Game Pass stands to gain a lot more subscribers over the next few months. Xbox All Access will give subscribers an Xbox Series S along with Game Pass Ultimate for $24.99 a month for 24 months, or an Xbox Series X with Game Pass Ultimate for $34.99 a month for 24 months. Consoles can be quite expensive, so the "installment plan" method should have a lot of appeal for gamers. Microsoft gets two years to get users hooked on game streaming, and gamers don't have to worry as much about spending $300-500 in one day.

For the uninitiated, Xbox Game Pass is a service that allows subscribers access to more than one hundred different digital games. These titles include older games, as well as brand-new titles from Xbox Game Studios on release day. Subscribers also get a number of additional benefits, including discounts on purchases, as well as discounts for add-on content. The Ultimate version of the program gives subscribers the ability to play games on consoles and PC for $14.99 per month.

It will be interesting to see what the future holds for game streaming. Google Stadia has struggled to sell the concept, but Game Pass offers a much bigger library, and it's only going to improve over the next few months. The addition of EA Play, as well as games from Bethesda, should go a long way towards selling subscribers on the value of the service. It remains to be seen what kind of impact this might have on physical game sales, but this could have a significant impact on the future of the video game industry.