Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced during today's Q2 earnings call that Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny has surpassed 4 million players. This achievement shines brightly in an otherwise unremarkable report for the gaming division. MachineGames' latest title has received widespread critical acclaim, numerous awards, and now boasts millions of players. While precise sales figures remain elusive due to its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass, 4 million players is a significant accomplishment, especially given the uncertainty surrounding a modern, AAA Indiana Jones game.

We wholeheartedly agree, praising it in our review as an "irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt," and nominating it for Game of the Year and Best Xbox Game. Read our full review here.

Elsewhere in the Xbox ecosystem, Microsoft reported a 30% increase in Game Pass PC subscribers last quarter, setting a new quarterly revenue record. Cloud gaming also saw impressive growth, logging 140 million hours of streamed gameplay. These factors contributed to a 2% increase 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 strengthen its console and hardware performance. However, its ongoing investment in Game Pass is clearly yielding positive results. The strong Game Pass PC growth is understandable, given last quarter's robust lineup of Game Pass day-one releases for Ultimate subscribers, including Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Microsoft Flight Simulator.