Xbox Game Pass has reportedly seen a significant decline in subscribers, with the service now estimated to have 30 million monthly paying customers, according to The Wall Street Journal. This figure represents a drop of approximately 4 million users since early 2024, when former Xbox President Sarah Bond stated the service had reached 34 million subscribers.
Microsoft has been notably secretive about Game Pass subscriber numbers since its growth began to stagnate. Internal projections revealed during legal proceedings related to the Activision acquisition indicated Microsoft had hoped to reach around 77 million subscribers by the end of 2024. These ambitious goals were reportedly tied to a strategy of studio acquisitions, major game releases, and third-party deals. Previously leaked internal documents from the 2023 FTC trial over the Activision Blizzard acquisition also showed Microsoft's long-term vision for Game Pass to exceed 100 million subscribers by 2030.
Recent years have seen price increases for Game Pass, including a notable hike for Game Pass Ultimate to $30 a month before the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. However, the game's reception was lukewarm, and the price increase is believed to have contributed to subscriber churn. Matthew Ball, Xbox's chief strategy officer, stated earlier this year that this move resulted in the loss of millions of subscribers. A Bloomberg report suggested that the day-one launch of Black Ops 6 on Game Pass cost Microsoft approximately $300 million in lost revenue, indicating the financial calculus of such strategies was already under scrutiny.
In response to these reported declines, new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has reportedly implemented measures to reduce the monthly price of Game Pass and has stopped including new Call of Duty titles in the service's library at launch. While these adjustments may help stabilize subscriber numbers, the service appears to have encountered a ceiling in its growth trajectory.