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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Could Benefit from Xbox Game Pass

Exploring the potential impact of Xbox Game Pass on the struggling sales of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Could Benefit from Xbox Game Pass

Highlights

  • Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's sales are underperforming, with significantly lower active player counts on Steam compared to other games.
  • A release on Xbox Game Pass could potentially revitalize the game by expanding its player base and creating a mutually beneficial opportunity for fans and the developer.
  • Gotham Knights experienced a substantial increase in active players after being added to Xbox Game Pass, demonstrating the positive impact it could have for Suicide Squad.

Recent developments have created a complex landscape for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. As 2024 commenced, expectations for Suicide Squad were modest, with a disappointing gameplay reveal in February 2023 leading to a loss of faith among many followers. Additionally, extensive leaks regarding the game's storyline in recent months further dampened pre-release excitement for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Since its release, the reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has become increasingly convoluted. While some fans appreciate the game as a co-op looter-shooter, others feel that Rocksteady could have delivered a more compelling experience. The game's sales seem to mirror this mixed reception. In such a scenario, the introduction of Xbox Game Pass could serve as a potential savior for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

The Potential Impact of an Xbox Game Pass Release

Gotham Knights' Success Story with Xbox Game Pass

While Xbox Game Pass cannot resolve a game's inherent issues, it can offer a mutually advantageous solution for both fans and developers. By providing fans with a high-profile game at no additional cost and boosting the player count for developers, Xbox Game Pass has the potential to significantly benefit a major title like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

A compelling example is DC's Gotham Knights. Upon its release in October 2022, Gotham Knights initially fell short of expectations. Despite some fans finding enjoyment in the game's narrative, world, and melee-focused gameplay, the repetitive nature of its loot-based gameplay led to mixed reviews and disappointing sales for Warner Bros.

However, when Gotham Knights joined Xbox Game Pass in September 2023, the game saw a remarkable 6% of Xbox's total player base trying it out in the first week on the service, resulting in a significant surge in active players. Although Gotham Knights later became available on PlayStation Plus, it only attracted 3% of PlayStation's overall player base, leading to a notable increase in active players, albeit not to the extent seen with Xbox Game Pass.

Considerations for Suicide Squad's Potential Move to Game Pass

Although it is still early days for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the game's initial sales figures are concerning. While Suicide Squad claimed the top spot on the UK physical sales charts in its release week, this does not accurately represent its success. Currently, physical sales across the board are declining, and Suicide Squad only achieved half of the sales of Guardians of the Galaxy upon its 2021 launch, as per a recent Twitter post by GamesIndustry.Biz head Christopher Dring.

The statistics from SteamDB present an even more alarming picture for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. At present, the game has a mere 4,409 active players on Steam, with an all-time peak of just 13,459. In comparison, Persona 3 Reload, a game with lower sales in the UK than Suicide Squad, currently boasts approximately 25,000 online players and a peak of 45,002, as per SteamDB data.

With the current state of affairs, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could greatly benefit from Xbox Game Pass. As a live-service game, maintaining a substantial player base is crucial for the development of engaging seasonal content, and leveraging Xbox Game Pass could be the most effective means of attracting new players to the game.

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