Atomfall, the hit British survival game developed by Rebellion, became "immediately profitable" upon its release on March 27, 2025, despite a significant portion of its 2 million players accessing the game through Xbox Game Pass, rather than purchasing it outright. While exact sales figures remain undisclosed, Rebellion highlighted that Atomfall marked their largest launch to date in terms of player engagement, a feat bolstered by the availability of the game on Xbox Game Pass for both Xbox and PC users.

Despite the potential for reduced direct sales due to the Game Pass model, Atomfall's financial success was immediate, recouping its development costs right away. Rebellion's CEO, Jason Kingsley, emphasized in a discussion with GamesIndustry.biz that the inclusion of Atomfall in Game Pass did not "cannibalize" sales but rather provided a beneficial exposure to a broader audience. Kingsley noted that the guaranteed income from Microsoft, regardless of direct sales, significantly mitigates financial risk.

The strategic decision to launch on Game Pass has also catalyzed positive word-of-mouth, further driving both subscriptions and traditional sales. As Kingsley explained, "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.'" This organic promotion leads to a cycle where some friends already on Game Pass play the game, while others who are not on the service are prompted to purchase it to join the conversation.

Looking ahead, Rebellion is not resting on their laurels. The studio is actively planning potential sequels or spin-offs while continuing to support Atomfall with post-launch content and DLC.

The business agreements between Microsoft and developers like Rebellion remain confidential, leaving the exact financial benefits for both parties a matter of speculation. However, it's clear that successful titles like Atomfall contribute to the attractiveness of Xbox Game Pass, which had 34 million subscribers as of February 2024.

IGN praised Atomfall in their review, describing it as a "gripping survival-action adventure that takes some of the best elements of Fallout and Elden Ring, and synthesizes them into its own fresh mutation."

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