- Microsoft has popularized Xbox Game Pass with major day-one offerings.
- In 2023, the gaming giant outdid itself, releasing as many as 50 games for the subscription.
- These games included a mix of AAA, AA, indie, and experimental titles.
Xbox Game Pass is the subscription of choice for many in the gaming industry. Nearing 30 million subscribers, Microsoft has big plans for this subscription, especially after acquiring Activision Blizzard in October.
A major selling point of the service is the vast number of day-one games offered by Xbox. Including all third and first-party games, it reportedly offered 50 games at release in 2023 alone.
Why it matters: For the monthly cost of $11, one year of the subscription costs less than $150. Therefore, for a bit more than the price of two full games, Xbox Game Pass members were able to enjoy 50 games at launch.
#XboxGamePass had a great 2023 with a total of 50 Day One releases!
Here's the full recap.#gamographics pic.twitter.com/k3CCYC3ZM3
— Baiisun (@baiisun) December 14, 2023
This list has been put together by Baiisun on Twitter/X. As expected, it features numerous indie and small games, but the list is packed with various big hitters.
Notable games from Microsoft’s first-party include the surprise hit Hi-Fi Rush, Bethesda’s RPG Starfield, and the latest Forza Motorsport offering. These three are already big names, making up for one year of subscription costs alone.
However, Xbox Game Pass did not stop there. In the third-party offerings, Lies of P was a major highlight. This title is now in the debate for the best Souls-like, motivating its developer to confirm a sequel and DLC.
Other games like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Atomic Heart, and Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name were also offered. Looking at the games, it is clear that Xbox Game Pass had a diverse portfolio this year.
From fun party games like Party Animals to sports games like MLB The Show 23, most people likely found a few games to get their money’s worth.
The graphic also shows Microsoft had a consistent release schedule. While it started slowly in January, each month brought along multiple games for subscribers. With Microsoft spending $1 billion on third-party games in 2023, the various deals likely had an overall positive impact on the smaller development teams.
2024 will carry this momentum forward. Games like Avowed and Hellblade 2 are locked in for an Xbox Game Pass release in what is shaping up to be the subscription’s best year so far.
Featured Image Credit: @Baiisun
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