Microsoft allegedly invested $600,000 to feature Cooking Simulator on Game Pass

According to recent documentation, Microsoft paid $600,000 to Big Cheese Studio for the inclusion of Cooking Simulator on Xbox Game Pass. As discovered by Twisted Voxel, this one-time payment enabled the title's publication on the subscription-based platform. The disclosed figure accounts for 22% of the developer's net profits from the last fiscal year, with the agreement anticipated to have a significant impact on the company's revenue. Cooking Simulator was introduced to Xbox Game Pass this month as part of the service's regular game rotation, having initially launched in June 2019. The game has reportedly sold over 700,000 copies to date. In a 2020 interview, Phil Spencer provided insight into the compensation process for developers who bring their games to Game Pass, highlighting that the deals vary greatly. Spencer stated, 'Our deals are, I’ll say, all over the place... That sounds unmanaged, but it’s really based on the developer’s need.' He explained that in some cases, Microsoft covers the full production cost, allowing developers to retain retail opportunities beyond Game Pass, while in other instances, the arrangement is a straightforward transaction.