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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Christopher Dring (@dringo.bsky.social)

Microsoft's transformation from pure platform holder to the world's biggest games producer is really picking up. The multiplatform strategy is key to this, of course. 64% of spend on Microsoft games in December came on PlayStation devices [contains quote post or other embedded content]

bsky.app

That’s according to data firm Ampere, and includes sales of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which was one of the biggest games over the Holiday period. It also includes the release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which launched in December.

But it was Call of Duty that delivered the majority of the success. Call of Duty HQ, which includes Black Ops 6, attracted 38 million monthly users in November 2024, Ampere says, which set the game up strongly for December.

Microsoft has been putting increased focus on its multi-format strategy, and 64% of consumer spending on Microsoft titles in December was on PlayStation formats (driven by Call of Duty).

Ampere says that Microsoft was comfortably ahead of second-placed Electronic Arts, which generated $366 million over the same period. EA’s performance was driven by EA Sports FC 25, which delivered big numbers, albeit smaller than they were last year.

Ampere data also revealed that 30 million hours were spent playing Fortnite on Christmas Day, which meant the average Fortnite gamer spent 2.3 hours on the game on that day. 20 million hours were also spent on Call of Duty games during December 25th.

The two big talking points of the month were Marvel Rivals, which brought in 29 million monthly active users over December, while Path of Exile 2 generated $148 million, the firm estimates. And both of these successes made December a big month for Chinese publishers, which are growing their influence in the global games industry.

There were four key Chinese published games that drove the numbers last month, including Marvel Rivals (Netease), Path of Exile 2 (Tencent), Infinity Nikki (Papergames), and Delta Force (Tencent). As a result of those titles, Chinese games publishers Tencent (No.5) and Netease (No.9) entered Ampere’s monthly rankings for the first time.

“The growing global scale of major Chinese publishers adds a new dynamic to the console and PC gaming markets, and inevitably means added competition in what is already a hyper-competitive industry,” says Ampere research director Piers Harding-Rolls.

Microsoft was the No.1 games publisher in the world last month | VGC

Nearly $0.5bn was spent on Xbox games across Steam, PlayStation and Xbox in December…

www.videogameschronicle.com

 

[buenoblue]

When Microsoft loses everyone wins

 

[Sephimoth]

Today: "We are so back!"
Tomorrow: "It's over"
Day after that: "We are so back!"

 

[Peroroncino]

Goof for them, bad for the xbox fanatics lol

 

[lh032]

we are all xbox. thank you phil!

 

[nowhat]

we are all xbox. thank you phil!

Uhmm, I still very much identify as a box. When I don't, then I'll be an ex-box.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Sony will probably want a piece of pie too.

Expect Nintendo to get left behind.

 

[Cakeboxer]

They should stop making and selling consoles immediately and let others pay for developing and selling those. Also change Game Pass so that big games only arrive after 6 months at earliest and make it cheaper in return.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Pretty much the garbage replies I expected about positive Xbox strategy news here on GAF.

I continue to look forward to more Xbox publishing and hardware.

 

[Robb]

Another nail to seal the Xbox hardware coffin.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Well, that's a wrap. This kind of financial result will result in acceleration.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

LOL, how is this "news"? They bought the largest 3rd party publisher in the world... It's now somehow surprising that they had a month where they were the biggest publisher after buying the biggest publisher? Let's do better...

 

[Sintoid]

When you can't dominate the whole market buy it

 

[Insanemaelstrom]

Pretty much the garbage replies I expected about positive Xbox strategy news here on GAF.

I continue to look forward to more Xbox publishing and hardware.

Do tell how the replies are bad? Because they aren't universally praising Xbox? If so, colt's youtube channel might be more your speed

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

LOL, how is this "news"? They bought the largest 3rd party publisher in the world... It's now somehow surprising that they had a month where they were the biggest publisher after buying the biggest publisher? Let's do better...

Yeah not really news when you buy up all the donuts at the bakery and become the fattest guy around

 

[StereoVsn]

LOL, how is this "news"? They bought the largest 3rd party publisher in the world... It's now somehow surprising that they had a month where they were the biggest publisher after buying the biggest publisher? Let's do better...

Yep, throwing Bethesda and then their own studios and all the smaller studios they acquired. I mean when you spend $80 billion you have to have some results.

 

[LordOcidax]

Good news about Xbox are not allowed here OP…

 

[twilo99]

Pretty much the garbage replies I expected about positive Xbox strategy news here on GAF.

I continue to look forward to more Xbox publishing and hardware.

You obviously don’t belong here

 

[MMaRsu]

When Microsoft loses everyone wins

Pretty sure being no1 publisher doesnt make it a loss for Microsoft.

Microsoft fanboys crying of ourse

 

[MMaRsu]

They should stop making and selling consoles immediately and let others pay for developing and selling those. Also change Game Pass so that big games only arrive after 6 months at earliest and make it cheaper in return.

Glad you're not in charge of Xbox, such dumb ideas.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Good news for Microsoft

Bad news for Xbox

 

[adamsapple]

 

[onQ123]

Basically Call of Duty was Call of Duty but we need fluff this story to hide other stuff.

 

[MMaRsu]

When you can't dominate the whole market buy it

They bought the entire gaming market? Damn when did that happen?

Oh wait that never happened

 

[Hookshot]

Well done Microsoft take that 70% from Sony shills.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Yeah not really news when you buy up all the donuts at the bakery and become the fattest guy around

Quite contrary, the general thought by many here that the brand is dead or they don’t make money.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Quite contrary, the general thought by many here that the brand is dead or they don’t make money.

Nahh Microsoft gaming division is doing great its the Xbox consoles that are on life support

 

[M1chl]

ROI around 120 years, great work

 

[Aguero9320]

Wild times when news like this is celebrated as a Sony win

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

"But it was Call of Duty that delivered the majority of the success"

no shit Sherlock

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

ROI around 120 years, great work

Not when you consider the tax offset. Also you suck at math.

 

[nowhat]

Quite contrary, the general thought by many here that the brand is dead or they don’t make money.

We don't know whether they make any money, because MS hasn't disclosed unit sales or profit of the gaming division since a few years into the previous generation. Funny, that. We know the revenue has increased quite a bit recently - as a matter of fact, pretty much what ABK + MS previously was. So, money is being moved around. The total sum may not have increased much, if at all. Whether they are actually making money is very hard to tell, because MS won't report on it. I wonder why.

 

[Robb]

They bought the entire gaming market? Damn when did that happen?

Oh wait that never happened

Then how come everything is an Xbox now?

 

[Hudo]

Finally, Playstation is getting some games.

 

[jm89]

Sony will probably want a piece of pie too.

They already do. They get a 30% cut off every ms game sold on PSN and they put it to good use

 

[Bernardougf]

Pretty much the garbage replies I expected about positive Xbox strategy news here on GAF.

I continue to look forward to more Xbox publishing and hardware.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Nahh Microsoft gaming division is doing great its the Xbox consoles that are on life support

We don't know whether they make any money, because MS hasn't disclosed unit sales or profit of the gaming division since a few years into the previous generation. Funny, that. We know the revenue has increased quite a bit recently - as a matter of fact, pretty much what ABK + MS previously was. So, money is being moved around. The total sum may not have increased much, if at all. Whether they are actually making money is very hard to tell, because MS won't report on it. I wonder why.

You two sort it out then.

 

[Unknown?]

Wow, Microsoft is starting to become dependant on PlayStation. Imagine if they had kept exclusive, they'd lose most of their revenue and demolish the value of Activision.

 

[Nankatsu]

 

[Hookshot]

Sony also do this, they take 70% from all the Lego Horizon sales on PC and Switch.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Finally, Playstation is getting some games.

You mean those COD games they’ve always gotten?

The profit just goes into a Microsoft’s pockets now instead of Activision.

Not that they’ll see any return on investment for a few decades.

 

[adamsapple]

delete

 

[Hudo]

You mean those COD games they’ve always gotten?

The profit just goes into a Microsoft’s pockets now instead of Activision.

Not that they’ll see any return on investment for a few decades.

I am just shitposting to fit in.

 

[willothedog]

ROI around 120 years, great work

0.5bn a month equals 120 years...

 

[ProtoByte]

And what's the profitability behind those numbers? Something tells me those incoming quarterly results are going to tell an uncomfortable story.

 

[Radical_3d]

Expect Nintendo to get left behind.

Not even a single page of comments and we already have a mental take.

 

[Heisenberg007]

NO. RED. LINES.

 

[pulicat]

Wow, Microsoft is starting to become dependant on PlayStation. Imagine if they had kept exclusive, they'd lose most of their revenue and demolish the value of Activision.

Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be released soon. It's a big win for Microsoft in this case.

 

[EN250]

I mean, when they buy the publisher and holder of the COD IP, sure they'll become the biggest publisher out there, otherwise they'd be fucking up badly...

 

[Unknown?]

Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be released soon. It's a big win for Microsoft in this case.

Yes. Good thing papa Nadella basically forced them to go 3rd party. Imagine removing your biggest and second biggest platforms from Activision, they would have been worth a quarter of what they bought them for.