Overview
- Multiple news outlets report Game Pass now has about 30 million monthly paying subscribers, down from the last official count of 34 million in 2024.
- Internal Microsoft projections revealed during the FTC’s Activision review had targeted roughly 77 million subscribers by mid‑2026, a gap that company leaders say drove a strategic reassessment.
- Xbox raised Game Pass prices in October 2025 and added day‑one Call of Duty access, a move executives later said cost the service “millions” of users and reduced premium game sales.
- New CEO Asha Sharma cut prices and removed new Call of Duty titles from day‑one availability earlier this year, and Monday she announced about 3,200 layoffs plus plans to divest four studios as part of a broader reset.
- Analysts warn the changes could alter how Game Pass is funded and stocked with first‑party games, with Bloomberg reporting roughly $300 million in lost revenue tied to day‑one Call of Duty access and developers facing shifted incentives and job losses.