It cost an estimated $10 million to bring Guardians of the Galaxy to Xbox Game Pass

Six months on from launch, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy came to Xbox Game Pass for PC and console in March. We are often left wondering just how much money Microsoft spends licensing some of these bigger titles. According to one analyst, it seems Microsoft has paid Square Enix somewhere between $5 million and $10 million USD. 

According to MST Financial senior analyst, David Gibson, Microsoft paid Square Enix around $5 to $10 million to get Guardians of the Galaxy on Xbox Game Pass. The figure is based on “discussions with Square Enix and others”, so it is an educated guess, but the true number could be a little different.

Microsoft doesn't reveal much about the inner workings of Xbox Game Pass, the licensing deals or the fees it generally pays out. However, many developers from studios big and small have praised the service for increasing engagement and boosting sales for the game across platforms.

Guardians of the Galaxy first released back in October 2021 and while the title received generally positive reviews, it did not go on to become the major sales success that Square Enix hoped for. Now, the publisher is looking to extend the game's tail, and increased exposure through Xbox Game Pass should help achieve that.

KitGuru Says: $10 million for Guardians of the Galaxy seems a bit low, although it is important to note that we don't know how long the game is going to be on Game Pass. $10 million for a quarter (3 months) of Game Pass is quite different to $10 million for a full year. 

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