Minecraft is available on many platforms, including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, which has turned out to be a profitable move for Microsoft. According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Minecraft had nearly 140 million monthly active users, ‘up 30 percent year over year’. One surprising figure from Microsoft’s earnings call was the continued rise of creative sandbox game Minecraft. Another factor could also likely be Electronic Arts’ EA Play subscription service is now included for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, adding upwards of 60 games to the on-demand library. Much of this figure is likely due to an increase in Xbox Game Pass subscribers – the subscription service enabling users to access games on demand, in addition to Xbox Live Gold status.Īs of January 2021, Xbox Game Pass had more than 18 million subscribers, a figure likely to have grown since a collection of games from storied publisher Bethesda were added to the service following parent company Zenimax’s acquisition. In a further breakdown of Microsoft’s financials, Xbox content and services revenue increased by 34 per cent, which encompasses subscription service Xbox Game Pass, games developed by Microsoft-owned studios, and games made by third-party studios. In Microsoft’s earni n gs call, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood tempered expectations for future console stock, sharing that ‘significant demand for the Xbox Series X and S will continue to be constrained by supply’.

Minecraft on game pass