What you need to know
- Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's subscription service that sees new games added on a regular basis.
- Xbox Game Pass previously reached a milestone of 18 million subscribers.
- Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Game Pass is now at 25 million subscribers.
Xbox Game Pass reached 25 million subscribers, Microsoft confirmed via Xbox Wire on Tuesday. Previously, the service reached a benchmark of 18 million subscribers in Jan. 2021. This is an increase of seven million subscribers a year later.
The news of this new milestone came accompanying the announcement that Microsoft is acquiring Activision-Blizzard, a gaming publisher known for titles like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. Microsoft is spending almost $70 billion in cash to complete the purchase, which is expected to go through regulation and finalize sometime before June 2023. Microsoft plans to add games from Activision-Blizzard's catalog to Xbox Game Pass once the deal is finalized.
Microsoft is aggressively expanding in order to grow its gaming content and attract more subscribers to Xbox Game Pass, previously acquiring Zenimax Media, parent company of Bethesda Softworks, for $7.5 billion Sep. 2020. That deal closed in March 2021, and is seeing several Xbox console exclusive games in development, including Bethesda Game Studios' Starfield and Arkane Austin's Redfall.
Everything you need
Xbox Game Pass gives you access to over 200 games for one monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also adds Xbox Live Gold to the package so you can play online with your friends. You also get access to EA Play.
