Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central
Microsoft has provided new data on its Xbox services and subscriptions, witnessing "all-time record engagement," amid the ongoing global pandemic. That comes with the steady growth of Xbox Live active users and paying Xbox Game Pass subscribers, reported via its latest Q3 financials.
While Microsoft's overall quarterly gaming revenue stayed flat, declining one percent year-over-year, the company sees the continued success of its Xbox Live gaming network and Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
Speaking on Microsoft's FY20 Q3 earnings call on April 29, CEO Satya Nadella confirmed Xbox Live active users now near 90 million users, serving as a gateway to its digital gaming portfolio, and communication hub during an era of social distancing. Redmond has skirted Xbox Live active users counts in recent reports, with firm numbers last shared back in FY19 Q4, totaling 65 million. The latest figures demonstrate an estimated 42 percent increase in Xbox Live population year-over-year.
Source: Microsoft
Xbox Game Pass, its Netflix-style service for games on Xbox One and Windows 10, has also surpassed 10 million subscribers. It's the first time Microsoft has provided hard Xbox Game Pass figures, demonstrating a shifting internal attitude toward the value of the service.
Microsoft has positioned the subscription as a high-value package for Xbox veterans and newcomers, featuring a rotating library over 300 titles across the two platforms. That includes the arrival of in-house and third-party heavyweights like Red Dead Redemption 2, coupled with alluring entry-level plans from just $1.
And while Project xCloud, Microsoft's ongoing Xbox game streaming technical trials, remain locked to closed testers, Nadella states hundreds of thousands of users are now onboard the service. That includes coverage in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Korea, currently expanding further into Europe.
Microsoft recently reported $35 billion in company-wide revenue for FY20 Q3, up 15 percent over the same period last year, despite struggles tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Is the RTX 3080 or the RX 6800 a better GPU for your next PC build?
Can't decide whether you should go with the NVIDIA RTX 3080 or the AMD RX 6800 for your next PC? We compare them to help you make the right choice.
Surface Laptop 4 specs leak online ahead of its announcement
Leaks recently emerged with specs for the Surface Laptop 4. The leaks include the processors that it will run, the sizes it will come in, and other aspects of the device.
Review: Acer's Predator X38 is the ultimate monitor for work and gaming
Acer's Predator X38 is a massive ultrawide monitor fast enough for high-end gaming and accurate enough for color-sensitive work. It's the ultimate package, but it doesn't come cheap.
The best games for Xbox Game Pass users on PC
Whether you're new to PC gaming or just new to PC Game Pass, it can be a bit daunting to trudge through the entire catalog to find what to play first, so we've listed nine of our favorites to get you started.