Digital media and entertainment software analyst, Michael Pachter, expects Xbox Game Pass to hit 50 million subscribers if the Activision Blizzard King deal closes.
Speaking during the latest episode of Pachter Factor, Michael Pachter made, in his words, a rather bold prediction regarding Microsoft’s premium game subscription service. He stated that if Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard King deal closes, Xbox Game Pass will have around 50 million subscribers by the end of the year 2024. The statement came in response to a question, which asked whether Xbox should eventually pull out of Europe.
Pachter suggested that the current Xbox Game Pass install base amounts to 25 million subscribers, and that, by the end of 2024, the service will probably get 10 million additional users from Europe alone. According to him, post acquisition, Xbox Game Pass offers will offer tremendous value for money. He brought up the Call of Duty franchise as a major catalyst in the potential growth of Xbox Game Pass, further stating that PlayStation owners would want to play the first-person shooter series on Microsoft’s premium subscription service in addition to the other games available there.
The analyst expects that those who primarily play on PlayStation consoles will continue to play major Sony first-party titles, such as Uncharted and The Last of Us, on the platform. However, instead of purchasing a copy of the latest Call of Duty title for PlayStation, they’re more likely to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass and gain access to Call of Duty in addition to many other titles.
According to Pachter, both the US and EU are likely to approve the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard King deal. He added that the UK may be the only hurdle in this regard, and the way to operate in the UK would be to form a new subsidiary called “Activision Blizzard UK PLC” and have the public company in the country with independent board of directors running the business just the way it runs now.
Previously, Microsoft had responded to the CMA’s preliminary findings on the Activision Blizzard King deal, claiming that Sony’s stance on it is a self-serving attempt to protect its market dominance.
