Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced during today's Q2 investor call that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle has already reached 4 million players. This success story shines brightly in an otherwise unremarkable earnings report for Microsoft's gaming division. MachineGames' latest title has garnered significant critical acclaim, numerous awards, and now boasts millions of players. While precise sales figures are elusive due to its availability on Xbox Game Pass, 4 million players is still a highly impressive achievement, especially considering the lack of widespread expectations for a modern, AAA Indiana Jones game.
We ourselves lauded the game, describing it as an "irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt," and nominated it for Game of the Year and Best Xbox Game. Read our full review here.
Elsewhere in the Xbox ecosystem, Microsoft confirmed a 30% growth in Game Pass PC subscriptions last quarter, setting a new quarterly revenue record. Cloud gaming also saw significant engagement, logging 140 million hours of streamed gameplay. These factors contributed to a 2% increase in Xbox content and services revenue.However, challenges remain. Despite exceeding expectations, overall gaming revenue declined by 7%, and Xbox hardware revenue fell by 29%.
In summary, Microsoft still faces an uphill battle in the console and hardware markets. Nevertheless, its ongoing investment in Game Pass appears to be yielding positive results. The strong growth of Game Pass on PC is understandable, given Xbox's impressive lineup of recent releases, including Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Microsoft Flight Simulator, all available on Game Pass day one for Ultimate subscribers.
