Alleged Xbox Leak Exposes Estimated Costs for Adding AAA Games to Game Pass

Recently leaked documents from Microsoft have shed light on the estimated costs of incorporating third-party games into the Xbox Game Pass library. According to a report by Kotaku, an email exchange between Microsoft's VP of gaming business development, Sarah Bond, and Xbox head Phil Spencer in May 2022, outlined the potential costs of bringing notable titles such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Mortal Kombat 1 to the platform. Bond's analysis included estimated costs, average playtime, and the likelihood of publishers being open to negotiations. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor topped the list with an estimated cost of $300 million, with Bond referring to it as a 'crown jewel' for Game Pass, despite acknowledging that EA might be hesitant to agree to a deal. Mortal Kombat 1 was also considered a prized addition, but its inclusion seemed unlikely following the merger between Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Discovery. In contrast, Xbox recently announced that Gotham Knights, valued at $50 million, will be added to Game Pass on October 3, and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, estimated at $35 million, was made available in December. Other potential acquisitions included Baldur's Gate 3, valued at $5 million, and a possible deal with FromSoftware to bring the Dark Souls series to Game Pass. The discussions were prompted by concerns over a 16-month gap between exclusive launches, with Spencer emphasizing the need for a strategic plan to address this issue. A list of estimated costs for various games was also provided, including Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga at $35 million, Dying Light 2 at $50 million, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor at $300 million.