Report: Thanks to Xbox Game Pass, this 2023 fighting game just got a 34,744% player count boost

What you need to know

• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is a 2D arcade fighting game from Fair Play Labs and GameMill Entertainment that features a large roster of characters from iconic Nickelodeon franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and others.
• The game launched in November 2023 to very positive reviews, but has since struggled to maintain a sizable player base.
• However, a new report indicates that the game has seen a 34,744% player increase on Xbox after coming to Xbox Game Pass on July 3.
• The game's player count has slightly increased on Steam after July 3, too, suggesting that some are returning to it to enjoy it with new players via crossplay.

Last week, the 2D beat 'em up brawler Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 arrived on Microsoft's buffet-style Xbox Game Pass service, and according to a new report, the game has seen a huge increase in players on Xbox since that July 3 debut. Specifically, data shows that there's been a 34,744% player count climb, which is a huge leap for the fighting game.

The report comes from TrueAchievements, which identified the dramatic player count increase using gameplay information from over 2.4 million Xbox accounts collected by GameInsights. Notably, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 made 19th place last week in the top 40 Xbox gameplay chart that TrueAchievements regularly updates with this data, which is impressive for a game that was struggling to find success before coming to Game Pass.

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month pre-paid cards are just $33.29 at CDKeys, giving you three months for the price of two before the price increase to $19.99 a month

Indeed, TrueAchievements reports that the brawler was 1,628th in the most-played Xbox games list in the week prior to July 3, and SteamDB data shows that it typically only averages about 30-50 players at peak hours on Valve's PC gaming platform. There's even been a notable player increase on Steam after the game went on Game Pass, though, which suggests some are returning to it to crossplay with the fighter's new Xbox and Microsoft Store players.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is an arcade-style fighting game from Fair Play Labs and GameMill Entertainment that features a variety of iconic Nickelodeon cartoon characters from franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko's Modern Life, and others. It launched in November 2023 to very positive reviews from critics, and is available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

Most praised the game for its deeper combos, more fluid gameplay, and smoother performance compared to the original 2021 game that was poorly received by reviewers and fans alike. Perhaps the reputation of the first title contributed to the sequel's pre-Game Pass decline; I'm sure launching soon after Mortal Kombat 1 didn't help, either.

The game's $49.99 price tag is also a noteworthy barrier-to-entry, especially with the incredibly similar MultiVersus being free-to-play (albeit with forms of aggressive in-game monetization). Now that Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is on Game Pass, though, it can be circumvented with a subscription.

Analysis: A reminder of the good Game Pass does

There's been a lot of negative talk about Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the wake of recently announced changes and price increases, but a game like Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 enjoying a five-figure percentage jump in player count after coming to it is a strong reminder of the good it does for gamers and developers alike. The service often skyrockets the visibility of smaller projects like this one, and its affordable monthly rates give players an opportunity to enjoy games they might not have the budget to try otherwise.

Whether Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 will hold onto its newfound audience or not remains to be seen. Even if it doesn't, though, it's important to remember that Game Pass gave it a strong second chance — a chance it potentially wouldn't ever have otherwise.