Microsoft Exec: Game Pass Creates New Fans and Drives Engagement, European Uptake Has Been Strong

You can never praise Game Pass enough. Microsoft has pioneered something truly special with its subscription based service, giving consumers access to a vast, vast library of games (that just keeps on growing) for very reasonable prices, and people have responded to it spectacularly. Surely, it’s been a major factor in the resurgence the Xbox One has seen in terms of popularity lately.

According to Aaron Greenberg, Xbox’s GM of marketing, people have responded to Game Pass’ value with great positivity, especially in Europe. “In Europe the uptake of Game Pass has been particularly strong, people have responded really positively to the value,” Greenberg said while speaking with MCV. “It just depends on the market, some markets are more ‘I want to own these games as part of a collection’ and others are like ‘I want access to a huge library’.”

As per Greenberg, there’s as much value in Game Pass to Microsoft’s partners as there is to consumers as well. He brought up the example of Bethesda and Fallout 4 to make his case, saying that by putting that game on Microsoft’s service, they’ve driven up the interest among Xbox One owners for their upcoming Fallout 76.

“There are strategic benefits for partners,” Greenberg said. “Think about Bethesda putting Fallout 4 into Game Pass, they’re able to take that huge base of people who are Game Pass subscribers and introduce them to that, in advance of Fallout 76. It drives great engagement for them so it’s an opportunity to create new fans and drive that engagement further.”

Microsoft has been adding excellent games to Game Pass on almost a constant basis. September saw the likes of Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Quantum Break being added to the catalog, while next month, Wolfenstein: The New Order will join the library, while Forza Horizon 4 will be receiving a simultaneous Game Pass launch as well- you can read our review for the open world racer here.