Xbox Game Pass Reaches 18 Million Subscribers, Xbox Hardware Sees Record Sales

Xbox's Q4 of 2020 was one of the largest and most successful in the brand's history.

Gaming revenue grew by 51%, bringing in $5 billion – a record high for the company.

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Xbox Game Pass Reaches 18 Million Subscribers, Xbox Hardware Sees Record Sales

New Xbox consoles grew by 86% thanks to Xbox Series S and Series X which launched worldwide in November, and sold more than any other Xbox console at launch when combined.

Considering ongoing supply chain issues and console shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that's no mean feat.

Xbox Game Pass rose from 15 million subscribers in September to 18 million over Q4 (a new record high), while there are over 100 million monthly active Xbox Live users across all devices.

If we consider each Game Pass membership is around £10, that means Microsoft is potentially pulling in £180 million per month from Game Pass (although it's worth remembering they'll undoubtedly have plenty of outlay, too).

Interestingly, of the $5 billion, $2 billion came from games sold on Xbox platforms.

As for what's next, Microsoft is bullish on Q1 of 2021.

The company is projecting 40% growth of its gaming division, with 20% growth in services and content.

For more on Xbox Game Pass, be sure to check out everything arriving on the service this month, including Xbox exclusive The Medium.

We've also got a rundown of all the best games on the service.