Kingsley: Game Pass Reduced Risk for New IP Atomfall

The Xbox Game Pass subscription has played a pivotal role for Rebellion as they ventured into the world of new intellectual properties like Atomfall. CEO and co-founder Jason Kingsley shared with GI.biz how Microsoft’s decision to provide a baseline payment for adding Atomfall to their platform significantly mitigated the risks associated with launching a fresh franchise. Released in March, Atomfall quickly drew in 1.5 million players, due in large part to its inclusion on Game Pass.

“Absolutely, it mitigates risk,” Kingsley remarked. “Without diving into all the specifics, they ensure a certain level of revenue no matter how it actually performs in the market.”

However, Kingsley noted there are broader implications to consider. “You see an interesting dynamic at play, particularly with Xbox sales. Some might argue that the hardcore gamers are on Game Pass, and they’re typically the ones who would buy into a new IP like this. So, does this mean we’re eating into a portion of our sales audience? Perhaps, slightly. But the benefits far outweigh the costs.”

On the topic of risk management, Kingsley also shed light on how Rebellion handles budgeting. The company’s resources simply don’t allow for $200 million investments in their projects.

“We strive to be very mindful of our budgets, tailoring them to fit the scope of our games,” he shared.

“I’m actually honored whenever we’re mentioned alongside blockbuster titles like Assassin’s Creed, which I suspect have budgets in the hundreds of millions, though I can’t confirm the exact figures. Naturally, those games will have higher sales numbers, but they also operate with budgets that are exponentially higher than ours.”

Kingsley elaborated further: “We don’t intentionally aim for that mid-tier market, but it’s where we find our niche and excel within it. Spending $200 million on a game is beyond our financial reach; it’s just not feasible for us.”