Atomfall Profitable at Launch, Sequel Plans Discussed

Atomfall, developed by Rebellion, has proven to be an immediate financial success upon its release on March 27, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Despite a significant portion of its 2 million players accessing the game through Xbox Game Pass, Atomfall became profitable right away, demonstrating that the game's inclusion on the subscription service did not hinder its financial performance.

Rebellion has highlighted Atomfall as their most successful launch in terms of player engagement, a milestone undoubtedly boosted by Game Pass subscribers trying out the game on Xbox and PC platforms. Although specific sales figures remain undisclosed, the developer confirmed to The Game Business that the post-apocalyptic northern England simulator quickly recouped its development costs.

Looking forward, Rebellion is exploring opportunities for sequels or spin-offs while continuing to support Atomfall with post-launch content and DLC. In discussions with GamesIndustry.biz, Rebellion's Jason Kingsley emphasized the strategic advantage of launching on Game Pass, stating it effectively avoided the risk of cannibalizing direct sales. Kingsley noted that the guaranteed income from Microsoft helps mitigate financial risks, regardless of direct sales performance.

Launching on Game Pass also significantly enhances the game's visibility and reach, fostering word-of-mouth marketing. Kingsley explained that players trying the game through Game Pass often share their positive experiences on social media, encouraging others to play, including those who might purchase the game outright to join the conversation.

While the specifics of Microsoft's financial agreements with developers like Rebellion are kept under wraps, it's clear that both parties benefit from the arrangement. Microsoft's latest reported figures show Xbox Game Pass had 34 million subscribers as of February 2024, indicating a large potential audience for games like Atomfall.

In IGN's review, Atomfall was praised as a "gripping survival-action adventure that takes some of the best elements of Fallout and Elden Ring, and synthesises them into its own fresh mutation," underscoring its appeal and the reasons behind its successful launch.

Atomfall Review Screens

View 25 Images