Microsoft Explains How Games for Xbox Game Pass Are Selected; Over 90% Users Are Trying New Genres

During a panel at PDXCon 2019, Microsoft senior director of ID Productions Chris Charla talked about Xbox Game Pass.

Charla was asked to explain how Microsoft curates the list of games that go into the service.

He explained that of course it’s a matter of having fun and typically highly-rated games, but Microsoft also aims to have a good mix of genres at all times.

“For us, when we look at what games to bring into game pass, we really just focus on… It has to be super fun. Typically that also means they’re highly-rated. It has to be something that we think players are going to like and adds to the mix.

We don’t want to have just all shooters, all platformers, or something like that. Because games always go into Game Pass and come out of Game Pass, we’re always looking to curate a really good mix so that at any time it’s just going to be really fun.”

Charla also mentioned that Microsoft is seeing gamers playing on Game Pass games of genres that they have never tried before.

“The really cool thing is that we see people playing game types that they have never played before. More than 90% of the people who have xbox game pass have palyed a game in a genre they have never played before.”

Just yesterday Paraxox Interactive announced Crusader Kings III, mentioning that it’ll be on Xbox Game Pass for PC on day one when it releases in 2020.