Oct 2024 USA Sales: PS5, PS4 Account for 82% of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Sales in the US

82% sales on rival platform is a big win for Microsoft, you gotta understand the strategy ♟️🕵🏼‍♂️🧮

How is gamepass going to keep Microsoft games division afloat? I really don’t see how giving away £70 games for £179 yearly subs is going to balance.

This must be one of the biggest loss leaders of all time! Judging by the number of console sales I would assume its massively underachieving its targets.

@Nei they’d rather have 82% of sales on their own platform, I can guarantee you that.

@Boxmonkey Game Pass isn't. Sales on other platforms will.

Believe me, Microsoft's coffers thank you for your dedication.

When people stop thinking about a single plastic box as Xbox, then this all makes more sense. The writing has been on the wall for a little while now - even before the "This is an Xbox" ad campaign.

And peeps were worried Micro$oft wouldn’t bring CoD to PlayStation …. How could they forget Micro$oft LOVES money.

I'd like to play Unisputed just to find out what it is.

@GamingFan4Lyf Microsoft have been trying to get gamepass on other platforms so this big brain play you think they are making is clearly incorrect.

@Boxmonkey I'm have a idea for what they might try in the future. With the EU requiring Apple to allow alternative storefronts on Iphone, I wonder if MSFT might use that legislation elsewhere. Maybe in the future they'll try to use that ruling to force Playstation to allow their storefront on as well. Just a thought of curse, but I wouldn't put it past MSFT.

Again just a thought, but they can probably argue the the Sony consoles, are in the same position as the Iphones. Who knows.

@11001100110zero that is obviously the play

@colonelkilgore for sure. With Gamepass on everything now, and that potentially happening in the future (a big IF), I can see why they basically gave up on hardware.

@11001100110zero well they gave up on hardware as the vast majority of gamers gave up on them, this is just their latest Hail Mary in a series of Hail Marys. This one could actually work though… but I thought that about Gamepass and buying up the industry too, so what do I know 🫠

@Boxmonkey Microsoft's big "brain play" is making money. It does very well at making money. If something doesn't pan out, it will shift strategy so it does.

Microsoft already knows it can't get Game Pass on PlayStation or Switch because both Sony and Nintendo have to them no already when it tried.

So...sales it is!

Guess what, whether you like it or not, Nintendo and Sony are playing an Xbox game - making it...in PR terms...an "Xbox". Congratulations on owning a XPlayBoxStation!

@GamingFan4Lyf 😆 nah… the congratulations are all your’s on achieving perfect 10s across the board in mental gymnastics 🥇

@colonelkilgore I'll take it!

I just don't get why people chest thump that COD sold more on PlayStation console than an Xbox console. And I tell them that Microsoft is happy either way, they get salty.

If or when Game Pass becomes unstainable for Microsoft, it will drop it. Plain and simple. IN the mean time, people get games they want on PlayStation and people can choose Game Pass if they have Xbox/PC. Why is that such a bad thing?!

If Microsoft is happy with the results, then it succeeded.

@GamingFan4Lyf you earned it 🍻

@Nei they financially had no choice.

@GamingFan4Lyf

Microsoft thanks you for your dedication as a shareholder.

@GamingFan4Lyf if anyone is chest-thumping around here it’s you… the crazy thing is though, you’ll never see that. Still, keep doing you, it livens up the comments section and I like a bit of spice 🫡

Well good for Microsoft then? Don't understand the point of making an article about this. Most COD players, Or even other groups addicted to a single live service scheme, aren't gamers at all and should be considered a completely seperate demographic and industry partition. It's this lumping together that has led to so many failures and poor decisions by the gaming sector in recent years. Seperate them out and make your garbage addiction schemes for that crowd with a dedicated team of whatever you would call them, working for that, and then have your actual game development teams make actual games.

Instead we have talented game devs being forced to make and promote this garbage or lifeless sequels and remasters cash grabs and then fired when they inevitably fail. Such a shame

When it comes to gamepass I'll say this... It's been what? Close to 8 damn years now? And it's still going? I think it's lasted longer than Windows Phones at this point. There's no denying that Microsoft has honest to God faith in the service.

@11001100110zero whether it be faith or hope, there is no doubt that it isn’t anywhere near where Microsoft hoped it would be by now. The fact that they are porting their games to PlayStation is a clear indication of that. Will it eventually get there? Maybe… but porting their games to PlayStation will only slow the Gamepass figures rising, as it voids the need for current Playstation gamers to buy an Xbox (or use their platform via phones, tablets, laptops… potatoes 😉 etc) . They had to do it though… it was either that or get out’ve Dodge entirely with their YoYoYoY declines the way that they were.

Microsoft making the money on PS and then keeping their users happy giving it for "free" on Game Pass.

@colonelkilgore I kinda see it like this. Simply more choice. Like with the steam deck. You can pla the game on any PC you want, but if you want our console, here you go.

Hell even with PS games now. Play Spider man 2 on PS4, PS5, PC, or steam deck. I think they know they won't sell many consoles nowadays, but I think they still sell enough to be content.

@get2sammyb It's valid points. Call of Duty hasn't moved the needle for Game Pass. Perhaps this has prompted this new advertising push to add Game Pass to a broader new market and see what happens - because it doesn't appear to be growing on console or PC.

Clearly Xbox Division is generating money and Microsoft is satisfied. If it's because sales on other platforms are offsetting Game Pass, then it's enough to satisfy someone to continue down the Game Pass road.

Xbox spent a huge chunk of change on the ABK acquisition and put a huge target on its back. I just don't see any kind of loss being acceptable at this point.

Maybe Game Pass fails. Maybe it doesn't. At the end of the day, the new Call of Duty has been a success no matter where it sold the most. I'll continue to milk Game Pass as long as I have access to it.

Microsoft has to do something different at this point. It can't continue to just be the same as PlayStation. People are locked into Sony's ecosystem. Congrats to Sony for making that happen.

Clearly just being another console that does the same thing that Sony does isn't working because people are going to choose Sony.

If that means Microsoft goes full-on third-party publisher who happens to make a console (and project hardware manufacturing and sales expectations as such) or does something radical and moves Xbox to something like an Xbox OS that is essentially Windows for Gaming and licenses the brand to other manufacturers to use to make hardware, then so be it.

Much like Nintendo paved its own lane, Microsoft needs to as well.

@colonelkilgore I am more interested in the game of Chess that Microsoft is playing, than anything else. It's certainly has some interesting strategies.

@Lup yeah.

I use Gamepass, because I work 11 hr days. So a single game like Elden ring could take me months of not a year to finish, and even though I make plenty with all the overtime, I can't justify buying outright. I might play a couple hrs thafirst weekend. Then not get to touch it for weeks. So 15 a month is chump change, and just suits me. I switch from GP to PS+ Every so often, keep things fresh with the catalogue.

I would not be surprised if GamePass comes to PS5 one day.
With every year, what once would have been a bizarre suggestion inches closer.

@11001100110zero I would honestly think buying a game outright would hold better value if you can't get through games in a timely manner as one $70 game is equivalent to 4.6 months of Game Pass.

If it's taking you 6 months to finish something, then you're wasting money on Game Pass.

@GamingFan4Lyf look as someone who games on PlayStation I can see that Microsoft will ultimately be fine… and probably end up dominating the whole gaming landscape. They just have too much money not too… if that’s something that they want.

That won’t stop me laughing at the boneheaded decisions they make though… nor at the cult-like mentality of Xbox-zeolots who choose to fawn over each and every policy-change they make out of necessity because their previous policy (and the one before that… and before that ad nauseum) didn’t work.

Also, while I think Microsoft probably will end up dominating the whole industry, it’s the last thing I want. In no industry should the people proven to fail time after time be responsible to steer the sector. But they have Microsoft money (not Xbox money) will dictate that it happens unfortunately. And before you retort with well Sony having no competition would be even worse… well I don’t think it’d be worse than if Microsoft were in charge but I still wouldn’t like that either.

When hardware is irrelevant everyone will need to subscribe or buy from Microsoft and Sony won't get a cut at all.

@colonelkilgore Xbox have made it clear for many years that hardware isn't their aim. Their software portfolio will keep them sound until the end of time.

And Xbox is actually a very profitable division of Microsoft.

@__jamiie straw man all you like, tell me where anything I said is wrong. If Microsoft had turned the tide this gen like they hoped… and it’s on record that they hoped… they wouldn’t be releasing games on PlayStation but you carry on building up your own arguments to make yourself ‘seem’ right.

You’re actually hilarious… you guys come over here attacking PlayStation gamers for talking about the gaming business, accusing PlayStation gamers of defending a corporation in an extremely mocking tone, when you do exactly the same thing but for Microsoft. In case you didn’t know, hypocrisy is the latest thing that is an Xbox.

@colonelkilgore I don't think Microsoft will dominate the industry. I think the ABK acquisition had pretty much killed Microsoft's chances of ever making a large purchase ever again. It is going to pretty much be stuck where it is for the foreseeable future.

Sony's grip is too strong in the console market at this point as well. Much like Apple.

Sony could become stronger in the PC space if it stopped being stubborn about PSN sign-ins for single-player games (yes, I know it's a trivial thing to execute, but it's still a sticking point with PC gamers).

Also, if Sony did Day 1 on PC, it would help (again, sans PSN requirement for single-player games) as the hype isn't lost over time.

@GamingFan4Lyf when I say eventually… I don’t mean next gen… or even next decade… I mean by the time gaming goes full Ready Player One that Microsoft (though they’ll have to beat out Steam… and Epic… and maybe Apple) will be in pole position to rule that roost. Unfortunately for Sony, they just don’t have the money, nor the infrastructure to go where gaming will ultimately go.

Edit. You guys think it’s that easy, that simply releasing games day and date on PC would resolve the majority of Sony’s issues. With the loss of PlayStation players to PC that would cause, Sony would not only lose out on the 30% from the sales made on the PSN store for their first party games… they’d also lose out on the 30%’s of all third party purchases that would subsequently be made on steam rather than PSN store. I take it you’re not a CEO 😉

@colonelkilgore So by the time I am too old to game. Lol!

@GamingFan4Lyf I added a bit about day-and-date on pc…

… and it’s that attitude that allows the world to become more corrupt and worse to live in with every generation. Yes this is just gaming… but in general terms, waving something negative off as it won’t affect you personally… but the generations that follow is a major part of why the world is the way it is right now.

One of the biggest causal games isn't moving the needle for Microsoft's Game pass is kind of crazy. Sure Microsoft makes money off the game but so does Sony to some extent, but Microsoft wants to grow their Game pass platform. If Microsoft isn't careful they could go the way SEGA did 3rd party.

In terms of gamepass coming to Playstation or Nintendo... It can't. Microsoft pay devs and publishers a specific amount to put those games onto gamepass to cover the loss of Xbox sales, so putting gamepass onto Playstation would mean the deal would cost WAY more to cover the loss of Playstation sales for those devs. The money Xbox would make off playstation gamers via gamepass subs wouldn't be able to cover what they would have to pay to the developers. A first party gamepass model would be the only viable way.

@colonelkilgore @11001100110zero
The reason phones are being forced to be opened up to other storefronts is because phones are seen as essential devices and both Apple and Google have a chokehold on them. That same logic would not apply to a console, which is strictly seen as a luxury item.

@The_Wailing_Doom I’d like you to be right… but extremely high paid lawyers and lobbyists have been know to take a metaphorical crack and turn it into the Grand Canyon. You have been warned.

@UltimateOtaku91 if Gamepass were ever to come to PlayStation it would be a different offering… ie. all Microsoft published games and no 3rd Party.

I’d also argue that is Microsoft’s endgame for Gamepass on all platforms (even Xbox 🤫)… they’ve simply had to pad it out with third party during its first decade as they simply didn’t/still don’t have enough content for it to be 100% Microsoft ip atm.

@colonelkilgore I never said releasing Day 1 on PC would solve all of Sony's problems, just that it would improve its PC performance (especially if it took away PSN from PC all together).

Sony wanted to expand its market to PC to help get more profit. But, with PSN requirement on PC, it's limiting its range to locations where PSN exists - that could lead to cannibalization of the PlayStation market.

Countries where PSN doesn't exist are forced to work around the rules (either by jumping through hopes to get a PSN account or piracy). So even if Sony only gets 70% of the value of a game on Steam, it's better than 0% in countries can't legally buy the game. So, ditch the requirement and let Steam do its thing - the game isn't going anywhere.

Doing things Day 1 means shared advertising for a new game. As it is now, Sony simply releases a game on PC and doesn't even bother to advertise it. Doing it 1 - 2 years down the road doesn't exactly build hype - it's a game lost in time and PC feels like an after through (because it essentially still is to Sony).

So, in my eyes, it couldn't necessarily hurt to do both to actually expand a userbase rather than tailor to an existing userbase.

Console sales are stagnating. The amount of people actually jumping ship to PC isn't anything that will hurt. There are some, but, just like how people aren't jumping to Microsoft's camp because Microsoft owns COD, people aren't going to suddenly switch to a $1500+ PC just to have a super-powered PlayStation.

Those looking to move to PC from consoles are going to do it for a broader range reason than playing PS5 games on it.

Sorry, I didn't mean to say that I don't care because it won't affect me. I guess looking back it does seem that way. I just meant that it's going to be a long way off in a joking way.

I don't want anyone to "dominate" - ever.

Heck I got a PC to get out of the console arena because I don't like where it's heading: with Xbox essentially becoming a "board room" brand and Sony having such a ridiculous market share, I worry console gaming is going to be a nickel & dime game on its customers.

The only one of the Big Three who I feel has the right balance is Nintendo because it has essentially gone without equal in its own lane with the Switch, but still never felt ripped people off or felt like its quality slipped simply because it had no direct competition for the time.

Too much power for anyone is a bad thing. I love gaming and I never want to see it be controlled by a single entity.

There is a reason I am tough on Sony - I don't want them being the be all end all in gaming. I hate when people are port begging for Gears of War on PS5 because I can bet that if someone on the Xbox side said the same thing about God of War, they would say "Buy a PlayStation if you want PlayStation games".

Sony's domination isn't healthy - I don't care if this is a fan site for Sony. It's dangerous!

@GamingFan4Lyf exactly, they wanted more profit… but if a vast amount of PlayStation gamers abandoned PlayStation for PC (as is the case following Xbox going day and date on PC) they would ultimately lose not profit… you’re so blinded by Microsoft’s ‘4D Chess’ that you can’t see the wood for the trees.

@colonelkilgore I just don't see that happening, though.

People aren't jumping ship from Xbox to PC because Microsoft went Day 1 with PC. People are more jumping to PlayStation because Microsoft is releasing games on PlayStation because a console is cheaper and more convenient.

Some might because they get the best of both worlds on PC. But most won't due to price.

Like I said, people aren't going to buy a PC just because it plays PlayStation games.

@GamingFan4Lyf I disagree, all I hear from previous Xbox gamers/current Xbox gamers is they have/will be going all in on PC. Everyone is at the very least partially subjective… it’s actually impossible not to be no matter how hard (some of us) try to be objective. You see it your way, as that’s the narrative that serves your id best.

@colonelkilgore I do wonder how many people actually do it, though.

I did. I certainly feel like I made the right decision for myself. I am happy with my purchase. But, it wasn't cheap.

Who knows, maybe come next generation I will have realized I made a huge mistake. Or it could be the best decision I ever made.

And, yes, I still have my PS5 because Sony still has yet to fully commit to PC. I don't mind waiting for games, I don't suffer from FOMO, but I will keep my PS5 around just in case.

Thanks for the civil back and forth! Cheers! 🥃

@GamingFan4Lyf anytime dude, I love to chat gaming in terms of the games themselves and the industry at large 🍻

It's funny. I remember in 2013 when all the PS fans were like "Eeew, who'd want Xbox, all it is is just Call of Duty, Call of Duty, Call of Duty, Call of Duty."

A decade later and 80% of CoD is PS.

@colonelkilgore I resemble that description! There's overlap specifically with XB though, because I think XB was from the start positioned as "a cheaper more convenient PC gaming platform" so it always kind of straddled this line between PC and "console", that was its purpose, and I think XB picked up a big market of lapsed PC gamers and would-be-PC gamers that liked the value and convenience, but were looking for a PC-ish experience. So I think there does end up being a lot of overlap where, now that XB has really tried to unify itself with PC it makes the jump a lot more appealing for users that were already half way there. Which they don't mind, that was the original purpose anyway. In fact MS kind of threw away their, at the time growing PC presence in gaming in order to force people into Xbox. They made a mess of PC gaming for a while, as they'd been buying studios and build their PC publishing presence and then suddenly closed it all down to force everything into console exclusivity. So their present is kind of just rewinding and undoing the damage they did back then. As an all PC gamer at the time I REALLY resented the Xbox for a long time lol.

@NEStalgia thats exactly the thing though, it’s ‘fine’ as far as Microsoft goes if they lose gamers to PC. First and foremost, they’re not selling enough hardware to make producing hardware truly viable anyway and secondly… every new PC bought/built is a further revenue stream for Microsoft, what with its core being so intrinsically linked to PC through Windows etc. It’s totally different for Sony. Every PlayStation gamer lost would simply translate to 70% of each Sony published game purchase from what was 100% of all 1st part proceeds as well as 30% of all 3rd party sales… the difference is so vast I’m amazed people (people who prefer Xbox basically) choose to ignore it.

Like I’ve said many times, Sony… as far as a gaming platform is concerned is ultimately doomed to eventually become extinct. I’d rather that were not the case but by the time we get to 2040-ish I’d imagine 99.9% of gaming will be on PC. Sony’s current board have the unenviable task of managing that inevitability while losing as little financial clout as possible. Sony going all in on PC right now would just expedite their doom.

Nice to see SH2R and Metaphor are still hanging in top 10 although i hope Astro Bot still in the top 20.

@GamingFan4Lyf Yep, Microsoft has managed to turn Xbox into a brand that is as boring and unexciting as its parent company. But who cares, they're making rivers of money, which is awesome for the fans!

@colonelkilgore If even the 10-15% of hardcore PS gamers are complaining about the price of the Pro, do you really think enough gamers who have console mentalities are going to shift over to PC, which is going to set the average gamer back $1000 plus to have equivalent tech that is less convenient. Consoles have the plug-and-play convenience factor and are cheaper. It seems highly doubtful a meaningful number of your average gamer is going to give up that convenience for something even more expensive, when even the most diehard gamers are loath to pay even more in the console market. PCs are finicky, inconsistent, and require far more fiddling with settings for your average gamer who just wants to pop into their game and not have to mess around with steam controller settings to get their game working correctly.

@colonelkilgore Agreed. But like you said, I agree, I think Sony has a long term problem in that they're the default now because they're the default, but their future strategy depends 100% on maintaining the status quo without an outside disruptor challenging that position seriously. And they probably need a plan to migrate away from that, because this status quo prints money for now but that won't last indefinitely, and once disrupted, they have no method really to claw back that market. They probably need to think along the lines of handling that future strategy even if they disrupt their own status quo now to do it. Otherwise you're right, they go extinct. I can't tell if they're actually planning to resolve that or just try to grab all the money while it's there before it's gone. Rumors are they Sony PC launcher which gives me vibes of the old Sony Entertainment music service that was a trainwreck of a closed "me too" storefront with no incentive to actually use it. Not much unlike Xbox/Windows Store now, except that at least has GP as an incentive to use it.

@colonelkilgore I own all consoles and don't have any pointless, childish allegiance to one box or another.

You clearly do.

Microsoft getting paid regardless of where it's played. lol.

@GamingFan4Lyf @colonelkilgore It is a pleasure to read your refreshing dialogue! I‘d love to see more of these debates on that intellectual level from PushSquare staff on controversial topics which are not just black and white.

@NEStalgia there is no obvious solution from a Sony perspective. Microsoft is positioned very well for the future, regardless of its abysmal past 10 years due to its core relationship to PC.

I’ve thought long and hard about what I would do if I were on the Sony board (I also think about it from a Steam, Epic, Nintendo and Xbox lens as I enjoy postulating solutions to grand problems to be solved) and from a Sony perspective the only viable solution imho would be to get into bed with someone like Apple or Amazon etc. it would never happen but they need the extra financial clout to compete and a platform with infrastructure that extends everywhere, as is the case with Microsoft. Sony hopes/hoped that a future storefront/platform on PC was the way forward but I think it’s a forlorn hope tbh. The only way that they don’t simply become the next Sega (as far as the PlayStation division goes) is to align with a bigger fish. Now that is way easier said than done (in every way imaginable) but I can’t see any other way forward for them tbh.

@__jamiie lol there’s a reason every Xbox gamer owns all the consoles… I wonder if you can guess why? 🤔

@Max_the_German cheers buddy… and hey, feel free to get involved 🍻

Ps. I’m not staff btw in case you were thinking I was 😉

@GamingFan4Lyf Sometimes it is better to buy outright and I do. I suppose for me it boils down to two main things, gaming in general is hardly even a hobby anymore, it's more of a time killer to me, than a full on hobby. Like Tiktok I suppose. Just there when I'm bored.

Second, I keep it mainly to play with my father at times. He's in another state, so I'm able to download what ever he's playing and jmp on with him here and there. So in doing it that way I'm always able to play whatever game he's hooked on.

I often stick to either Steam, or the Xbox play anywhere sales and mainly game on my PC now.

@colonelkilgore There WAS a rumor that they were in some kind of talks with Apple, so there may be some work on that front. Much as it's a union that makes it all very much "not for me", they (unfortunately) seem to have similar philosophies these days, and I could see that working out. Only problem is Apple is more Sony than Sony and their cut would be rediculous.

@NEStalgia yup, that is where the Sony execs would need to earn their salaries. Negotiations would be brutal… as they should be. As far as Apple would be concerned, they can leave it stew as long as they want… Sony on the other hand probably need to get a wriggle on.

@UltimateOtaku91 I mentioned in my first or second comment in here. MSFT may use the EU ruling on Apple, against Sony. They may in the future be able to force there own store front on to the PS consoles.

Improbable, but not impossible.

Well xbox jacked up gamepass price 2x like 33% so was there any real growth in sub count? Seems more like just squeezed more out of those who stayed and lost sales on xbox and pc

@11001100110zero They can definitely try and force their own storefront but not their own subscription service, they would need every developer/publisher that's apart of gamepass to agree as well as they would be losing out on money.