Xbox is now the “biggest publisher” on PlayStation

Yesterday, Microsoft posted its quarterly earnings report, and it was a giant increase for cloud and different departments. On the Xbox finish, Microsoft posted a 6% software program and providers enhance yr over yr, which bodes nicely for its content material technique.

Throughout an earnings call with CEO Satya Nadella (by way of John Welfare), Microsoft shared some up to date stats on Xbox’s efficiency, with a shocking replace on how the agency is acting on its rival console platform: PlayStation.

• Xbox content material and providers grew 8% yr over yr, making it the perfect Q3 in Xbox gaming historical past.
• The increase was pushed by Sport Go subscriptions, Name of Obligation, and Minecraft.
• Minecraft specifically noticed a 75% enhance in weekly common customers, buoyed by the profitable Minecraft film. Our sources just lately informed us that Minecraft is having fun with its highest concurrent person share in historical past, though Microsoft made no point out of this throughout the earnings name.
• Xbox {hardware} gross sales decline by 6%, however the downward development appears to be abating considerably.
• PC Sport Go grew 45% yr over yr, a large success given competitors from Steam and different competing PC platforms.
• Microsoft additionally stated that it’s now the most important writer on PlayStation, when it comes to preorders and preinstallations. That is doubtless partially due to Indiana Jones, Forza Horizon 5, and DOOM: The Darkish Ages.
• Xbox Cloud Gaming posted its highest use fee ever, at 150 million hours streamed, up 10 million hours quarter over quarter.