Activision
Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass: What is known about its possible arrival on the service?
According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is preparing to launch the new installment on its subscription service.
When Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, everyone assumed that Call of Duty would be coming to Game Pass on day one. The transaction went through in 2023, but Xbox’s plans have yet to be fully clarified. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Xbox president Sarah Bond stressed that all titles will be available on the service from day one, implying that the new installment of the shooter will also debut on the launch service. She did not mention it explicitly, but the latest information suggests that Redmond has given the green light.
According to Tom Warren of The Verge, there has been an internal debate about whether or not to launch Call of Duty on Game Pass. According to his sources, there is some concern because these products generate large revenues through traditional physical and digital sales. The Wall Street Journal, for its part, has published an exclusive on this issue, confirming that Xbox is preparing to launch the next Call of Duty on Game Pass: “Microsoft is reportedly planning to release the next installment of ‘Call of Duty’ directly to its Game Pass subscription service” instead of focusing solely on direct sales.
The opacity in confirming whether or not Call of Duty would be coming to Game Pass at launch has to be read in the context of the events that unfolded in the days leading up to the purchase: Xbox was facing accusations from PlayStation about the damage it could do to competition. In the end, regulators gave the go-ahead for the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
Game Pass price hike, an option in sight
Leaks indicate that the new installment will be Call of Duty Black Ops: Gulf War, but Activision Blizzard has not yet officially revealed it. At the moment, all information about the franchise’s future comes from vague statements of managers and media publications. Another issue that has been put on the table is the possible price increase of Xbox Game Pass, a possibility that, according to The Verge, has been discussed within Microsoft. Considering the added value of including one of the best-selling games of the year in Game Pass, this could be a way to offset costs.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released just two months after the offer ran out. It was released on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PC, but not on Game Pass.
Microsoft has been in the news in recent weeks for its decision to close several Bethesda studios.