Photo credit: www.gadgets360.com
Atomfall, developed by Rebellion Developments, is an action-survival game that made its debut on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms last month. Notably, it was available on Game Pass from day one, which has contributed to its impressive milestone of over two million players. Rebellion’s CEO, Jason Kingsley, has characterized the game’s launch on Microsoft’s subscription service as a “huge success” for the independent studio.
Significant Success Following Game Pass Launch
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Kingsley discussed the strategic decisions behind Atomfall’s launch, emphasizing the role Xbox Game Pass played in expanding the game’s reach. He expressed appreciation for Microsoft’s partnership, stating that the tech giant provided essential support which significantly benefited Rebellion.
“It’s been a huge success,” Kingsley noted in the interview. “Microsoft has been a fantastic partner to work with, they’ve really leaned in to helping us. They brought their skills and their scale to bear on our small project, and it’s done really, really well for them, so they got a good deal, we got a good deal out of it as well.”
According to Kingsley, the inclusion of Atomfall on Game Pass was instrumental in enhancing the game’s visibility. He acknowledged that discoverability has been a major hurdle for many independent titles. Players are more inclined to experiment with new IPs on the service, and positive feedback tends to generate further interest.
“With Game Pass, you can get people to try it, then as a result of those people trying it, they like it, and they then tell their mates on social media, ‘I found this game on Game Pass, I really enjoyed it, you should have a go.’ And then some of them are on Game Pass, and will [play] it. But some of them aren’t on Game Pass, and will also want to be part of that conversation. So, they’ll go and buy it,” he explained.
Recently, Rebellion announced that Atomfall had successfully attracted over two million players. Although this figure includes Game Pass users who accessed the game for free, Kingsley revealed that the sales figures have exceeded the studio’s expectations, marking a successful venture for the company. “We’ve done a lot better than our mid-range estimates, actually, so that’s nice,” he remarked.
The Game Pass model also offers a set revenue stream, which has allowed Rebellion to achieve profitability with Atomfall. Kingsley acknowledged the potential downside of lower Xbox sales due to the subscription platform, but he emphasized that the financial benefits from Game Pass are disproportionately advantageous.
Looking ahead, Kingsley hinted at the possibility of an Atomfall sequel, stating, “Now it looks like we want to do more Atomfall – it’s been successful, can we find the resources to do it? I don’t know.”
Atomfall officially launched across various platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X, on March 27. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of northern England and influenced by the historical Windscale nuclear incident from the 1950s, Atomfall has drawn comparisons to the Fallout series. Remarkably, Rebellion confirmed that the game had achieved over 1.5 million players within its first weekend, marking the most successful launch in the company’s 32-year history.
Source
www.gadgets360.com