Leak: Microsoft's estimated expenditures on acquiring games for Xbox Game Pass
From millions to hundreds of millions per game.
Internal correspondence from Microsoft has leaked online, discussing the addition of games to the Xbox Game Pass library and providing approximate figures that developers would require.
Microsoft expected the highest demand from EA for Star Wars Jedi Survivor - $300 million. Microsoft representatives referred to the deal as "beautiful but economically impractical."
According to Microsoft, Ubisoft would request $100 million for Assassin's Creed Mirage on its release day.
It was anticipated that the developer of Dying Light 2 would request $50 million. However, Microsoft had doubts that the developers would be able to release the game on time.
The inclusion of GTA V in Game Pass was estimated by the American platform holder at $12-15 million per month. But there was uncertainty about whether Rockstar would agree to keep the game in the subscription for more than 3-4 months.
As for the recent hit Baldur's Gate III, Microsoft "valued" it at $5 million. And the assessment by management was not the highest.