CrossCode recently released on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, and Xbox players were able to pick the game up on Xbox Game Pass. As it turns out, this last option has been by far the most popular one for new players.
Talking to the video podcast Duel Screens, CrossCode designer and programmer Felix Klein explained that the game has surprised them with its performance on Xbox Game Pass. He says that when the PC version was available on Game Pass for Windows 10, not many people played it–but now that it’s on console, that has changed.
“We’re actually pretty surprised at how many people play that way,” Klein says, just past the 43 minute mark in the video below. Asked if he can elaborate, he says that it’s comfortably outpacing the other systems. “Right at this moment, there’s more people playing on Game Pass than Switch and PS4 combined. That’s something I did not see coming.”
While this might not be too surprising on the surface, it’s worth noting that the install base on the Xbox One is much lower than the combined figures for the PS4 and Switch. Concrete Xbox One sales figures aren’t available, but the data suggests that it’s well below the PS4’s 110 million, and the lifetime sales of the Nintendo Switch (55 million) are likely higher, too.
Recently, No Man’s Sky developer Hello Games reported that the game had gained 1 million new players since coming to Game Pass. While you might think that it’s better to get a paying customer, there’s some evidence to suggest that Game Pass leads to higher sales–the developer of Descenders attributes Game Pass with higher sales figures.
In April, Microsoft said that Game Pass has 10 million subscribers, and with Xbox Series X on the horizon–and Game Pass front and center in the marketing–that’s likely to go up further. Here’s why Xbox Game Pass could be Microsoft’s secret weapon going forward.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
