Microsoft's Q2 earnings call revealed that Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny (the game's actual title, not "The Great Circle") has attracted 4 million players. This positive development stands out in an otherwise unremarkable gaming division report. MachineGames' title has received widespread critical praise, numerous awards, and now boasts a substantial player base. While precise sales figures are unavailable due to its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass, 4 million players is a significant achievement, especially given the initial uncertainty surrounding a modern AAA Indiana Jones game.

We wholeheartedly enjoyed the game, describing it as an "irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt," and nominated it for Game of the Year and Best Xbox Game. [Link to full review here].

Further Xbox news includes a 30% increase in Game Pass PC subscribers last quarter, setting a new revenue record. Cloud gaming also saw a substantial increase, logging 140 million hours of streamed gameplay. These factors contributed to a 2% growth in Xbox content and services revenue.

However, challenges remain. Despite exceeding expectations, overall gaming revenue decreased by 7%, and Xbox hardware revenue fell by 29%.

In summary, Microsoft needs to improve its console and hardware performance. Nevertheless, its ongoing investment in Game Pass seems to be yielding positive results, particularly the strong PC Game Pass growth, likely boosted by recent major releases like Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Microsoft Flight Simulator, all available on Game Pass day one for Ultimate subscribers.