Starfield's 230,000 early access player count debut proves Day One Xbox Game Pass releases don't hurt sales

It's September 3, 2023, and Starfield's third day out on early access. In the first 24 hours, Bethesda's space opera registered over 230,000 concurrent players on Steam alone. These gamers purchased the Premium Edition, which comes at $99.99. This number doesn't include those who might have purchased it on the Windows Store, and it also doesn't consider anyone enjoying early access on their Xbox consoles.

For one of the hyped AAA releases of this decade, the numbers will seem normal until you realize that players actually don't need to pay this princely sum. Instead, the entire game will be added to the Xbox Game Pass on the same day (September 6) when the Standard Edition unlocks.

Instead of spending the full amount on Steam or Xbox, players can easily subscribe to the Xbox Game Pass (or the PC Game Pass) and play it at a fraction of the amount. This does raise a popular point, which is often stated by detractors: Releasing games on day one to the Game Pass potentially hurts sales. If one has to interpret the numbers from Steam, it completely demystifies the claim.

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Starfield's early access has been off to a rollicking start

Certain points should be kept in mind when one tries to analyze whether Starfield's Premium Edition is worth it. For one, it's a completely single-player game, so starting your journey on September 6 won't make any difference whatsoever. The extra items you get from the Premium Edition have little impact at the current moment. Most importantly, the Xbox Game Pass is a far cheaper option if one analyzes it.

Even if you subscribe to one month of Xbox Game Pass, you will likely get enough time to complete the full game. This is despite the reported time it will take you to finish the main and side quests. Buying it on Steam costs a lot more, although you won't lose access after one month is over. Moreover, there's the added aspect of Steam Workshop as well. Like every good Bethesda game, the scope for modding in Starfield is immense.

All said costs are a significant factor when deciding whether to buy a game. When it comes to Starfield, a far cheaper alternative is available to all those on the Xbox consoles and PC. In fact, playing via the Xbox Game Pass subscription is no different from getting the Standard Edition (except that you'll need to keep hold of the subscription if you want to keep playing).

Yet, over 230,000 players have proved the notion wrong - adding a video game on its release day to the Xbox Game Pass doesn't hurt its sales. These numbers are purely those who opted to pay extra for the Premium Edition. They also include only PC players, and it won't be unreasonable to expect a significant number to play on their consoles as well.

In all probability, the concurrent player count will massively hike once September 6 arrives and all those on Standard Edition unlock their copy. It makes sense to get the Premium Edition, as it lets you play for an extra five days. If you're enthusiastic about the game, paying the additional amount will make sense.

Then again, those with an active subscription to the Xbox Game Pass can choose to spend a smaller amount to get the Ultimate Edition upgrade. The huge number of concurrent players on Steam shows the community's favored option. Starfield has also become a top seller on Steam, and it could break the records set recently by Baldur's Gate 3 come September 6.

Only time will tell what would be the all-time peak for Bethesda's 2023 release. Moreover, the exact number will remain hidden as some will opt to play using their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.

However, there's no evidence to suggest that Starfield's sales have been hampered by its potential addition to Xbox's subscription service. Instead, it could also result in more revenue for Microsoft as a part of the gaming community could opt to get an Xbox Game Pass membership to enjoy the title.