U.S. video game subscription services like Xbox GamePass and PlayStation Plus appear to be stalling in terms of player spending.
Those results come from a new study by analytics firm Circana as part of its annual Games Market Dynamics report. The study found that spending in April 2023 on game subscriptions was only 2% higher than in the same period last year.
Circana executive director Mat Piscatella said in a tweet: “Finding new subscribers beyond the console ownership base has proven very difficult thus far”.
PlayStation Plus reportedly saw zero growth in subscribers year-on-year ending March 31st – despite the launch of PS Plus Premium/Deluxe and PS Plus Extra in June last year. Currently, the service has 47.4 million subscribers.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s much-touted Game Pass hit 25 million subscribers in January 2022 but Microsoft has not announced new figures since then. The only giveaway has been Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s comments about a lack of Game Pass growth on console specifically.
Microsoft releases its first-party exclusive games day-and-date on Game Pass, Sony refuses to do the same with its PlayStation exclusives which it sells exclusively first before adding to PlayStation Plus and PC at least a year or two later.
Sony is onto something it seems as though game subscription service spending has stalled, new game sales appear to be increasing, with Piscatella saying:
“The big new premium releases in 2023 have done exceptionally well in good ol’ fashioned sales, particularly in digital (although ‘Tears of the Kingdom’ has sold HEAPS physically as well).”
The results come as Summer Game Fest got underway last night, whilst the Xbox Games Showcase is set to release in a few days.
Source: IGN
