Microsoft has clarified its own admission that putting games into Xbox Game Pass can, in some cases, lead to a decrease in sales. Responding to the many headlines recently about the cannibalization effect for Game Pass releases, Microsoft shed some further light on the matter.
In a statement to GameSpot, a Microsoft spokesperson said Microsoft tries to help game developers make the most money they possibly can through Game Pass. As such, Microsoft cuts deals with developers and publishers on a title-by-title basis, the terms of which are not made public and are presumably not consistent across the board. In its statement, Microsoft didn’t comment specifically on any cannibalization effect, but it also didn’t say this never happens.
Given the size and scale of Xbox Game Pass, the custom financial arrangements for each game, and all manner of other potential contributing factors, it certainly seems that some Xbox Game Pass titles would see their full-game sales affected by being included in Game Pass. In other cases, however, game sales may grow over time thanks to being included in Game Pass.