Xbox Abandons Day-One Game Releases Amid Financial Woes

Microsoft's Xbox division has undergone significant changes in recent times. In 2024, the company gave away roughly $300 million in Call of Duty sales by putting the game on Game Pass day one, instead of charging the standard $70 price tag.

This strategy, which was aimed at attracting new subscribers to the service, did not quite pay off as expected. Despite the generous offerings, PlayStation still managed to take 82% of Black Ops 6 sales, leaving Xbox with a significant loss.

Two years later, Call of Duty is no longer on Game Pass day one, and the service's promise of offering new games at launch has been retired. The decision marks a shift in strategy for Microsoft, which had previously aimed to use day-one game releases as a way to attract subscribers and drive growth.

The Xbox division has also undergone significant restructuring efforts. In July 2025, Microsoft cut about 3.2K roles through fiscal 2027, close to a fifth of the division. Four studios were sold or returned to their original ownership, including Double Fine and Compulsion Games.