Microsoft built Xbox Game Pass for this moment, and it’s thriving

Xbox Game Pass doesn’t have Friends, but it does have the friends we’ve made along the way. And that’s not just a silly phrase by a very clever reporter (don’t laugh). It’s one of the most powerful elements behind the success of Microsoft’s subscription service.

When analysts and investors compare Game Pass to other services like Netflix, it’s tempting to look at the latter’s strengths as the former’s weaknesses. Millions of people subscribe to Netflix to watch the same popular older shows, like The Office and Friends, over and over. Gaming doesn’t usually work the same way. People typically want newer games they’ve never tried before.