Success in the video game industry is not as simple as just “getting a good review score” or “moving a few titles.” As we’ve seen in recent years, a game can sell millions and yet be said to have “underperformed” or get praised by numerous critics, yet fans are unmoved. Even when you do have successes and tout certain accolades, you have to ensure that those accolades are framed in the right context, or else people will call you out for “false bravado.” In the case of Microsoft, the success of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 at the end of 2024 has provided one such case of “success in context.”
The stat that we’re bringing up here was noted by VGC, who cited that Microsoft was the “No.1 game publisher of December 2024” due to people spending nearly a half billion dollars on its published titles. The keywords there are “published titles” and not “buying games for Xbox.” That’s because the data firm Ampere noted that of the money spent by gamers, 64% of it was spent on PlayStation platforms. That means that they weren’t “getting an Xbox game” but merely buying something that Microsoft happened to have published. Thus, context is key.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 released in November 2024 and had huge numbers from the get-go, which is why it sold so well in December, as word of mouth plus holiday deals allowed gamers to get the game for a likely cheaper price.
It’s also something to note that Xbox was the only major publisher of the main three to have a big release in December via a new title starring Indiana Jones, which also helped things, even though we don’t know how much that game has sold yet.
So, is it impressive that Microsoft was the “No.1 games publisher in December 2024?” Well, no. First, the game they made wasn’t “their game,” but rather, a popular franchise that has dominated the market for years that Microsoft acquired when they bought out Activision Blizzard. That would be the same “feat” as if Nintendo suddenly bought NetEase and then got recognition for the Marvel title that’s been dominating the markets recently. It’s not the same thing.
Plus, again, while they did “publish” the game, people weren’t solely buying it on Xbox, and instead, buying it for their competitors, which isn’t what someone like Phil Spencer would want to hear.
Is it a feat? Yes. Is it a major one? No.
