I remember a time when everybody was all up in arms about having physical discs and not wanting to go the digital route. Look at where we are today. Most people on this very forum are likely buying their games digital. Many here have likely taken advantage of PS+ benefits or at a time tried PS Now.
Also, take this right here for example. Amazon has mostly kept tight lipped about hard data on their streaming service, and even though they finally provided some numbers, we don't entirely know what all those numbers mean. It could literally have been someone who as they say, accidentally watched one minute. He says in the past year, and doesn't tell how many hours "up 70%" compared to 2019 actually means. But the main point is Amazon sees real value, even if it's way less popular than Netflix, in still keeping this thing around, and almost certainly aren't going to be abandoning it anytime soon if ever. Microsoft is even more committed to Xbox Game Pass. Prime has perks like free shipping and other perks, so does Game Pass. Free shipping for Game Pass means discounted prices when buying games. Being an ultimate subscriber means getting EA Access free at no additional charge.
For the first time, Amazon provided some hard data on how many of its Prime subscribers are watching TV shows and movies on the platform.
qz.com
For Microsoft, Xbox and PC and mobile with cloud gaming are their vectors for allowing people to get in on what game pass offers. It's all about Game Pass for Microsoft.
There's a reason at the end of the 15 million+ viewed Starfield teaser it ends with "Play it Day One With Xbox Game Pass" They didn't say Play it day one with Xbox Series X or S or play it day one with Windows 10 or 11 Gaming PCs. They are saying play it day one with Xbox Game Pass.
Translation: Microsoft prefers you get Game Pass to play Starfield even over buying it the old fashioned way. A release that big and they're telling you "play it with Xbox Game Pass."
Of the 15 million who clearly took interest in this teaser, how many of them are likely to already be Game Pass subscribers? I know I am. I know specific major Xbox gamers in the community I'm aware of are, but not all 15 million who watched this are game pass subscribers. If from now till this game's release 2-5 million of the people who viewed this are willing to get Game Pass to play it, that's a huge win in Microsoft's book. Microsoft doesn't have a problem with people not buying Starfield if they are playing it with Game Pass because this is their strategy, to grow the popularity of Game Pass.
500,000 people buying starfield at $60 = $30 million.
250,000 people paying $10 per month for the year on game pass = that same $30 million.
250,000 people paying $15 per month for the year on game pass ultimate = $45 million.
Last we heard there were 23 million Game Pass Subscribers.
Assuming they all only pay $10 (they don't, many have ultimate) that's $2.76 billion per year from game pass subscribers.
Assuming just 11 million of that 23 million are paying for ultimate that's $3.4 billion per year from game pass subscribers.
It starts to become very, very clear how successful Game Pass already is.
Just last year, in the middle of the pandemic, game pass grew 50% in less than 6 months when it went from 10 million subscribers in April to 15 million come September.
If Microsoft pumps out great games like what's been announced with regularity over the next 8-10 years Game Pass could hit what I personally feel to be the magic number where it will be unstoppable. That magic number for me is 40-45 million subscribers. That's the number that I think Game Pass needs to hit or come close.