Microsoft says they will no longer reveal Xbox Live subscriber numbers

Microsoft is making a change in its consumer transparency for future reports; the company will no longer be revealing Xbox Live subscriber numbers. 

With Microsoft’s Xbox One failing to meet up with the sales of Sony’s PlayStation 4, the company has remained incredibly secretive about the number of consoles it has shipped this generation. While the system is still doing fairly well this generation, it’s still trailing far behind its rival consoles.

From now on, Microsoft will be even less transparent than before. In future earnings reports from the company, the traditional Gaming Revenue and Xbox Live Monthly Users sections will be cut. Instead, Microsoft will be focusing on its new services.

Possibly to add some positive spin to the company’s underwhelming generation, future earnings reports will only disclose growth. Balled into one section, Xbox Content and Services Revenue Growth, this generalized information is yet another step away from the transparency that the Xbox brand continues to campaign for.

How much is Microsoft committed to services?

It will longer include Gaming Revenue or XBL Monthly Users in its earnings reports. (Though will keep Gaming Revenue in SEC filings.)

Instead, it's reporting "Xbox Content & Services Revenue Growth."

Includes subscriptions & cloud. pic.twitter.com/Vi8qokX6cC

— Dom (@DomsPlaying) September 18, 2019

This move away from the company’s traditional reporting is most likely an effort to spin lacking growth into an exciting expansion. While standard Xbox Live Gold membership may not be growing much, Xbox Game Pass and its Ultimate counterpart are booming. With Game Pass mega-hits becoming a reality, this is likely what Microsoft will be focusing on.