Microsoft’s $68.7 billion merger with Activision Blizzard King officially closed in October 2023. Ever since, Xbox fans have been asking when the mega-publisher’s vast library would be available on Game Pass. Some expected it to be available as soon as the acquisition closed, but unfortunately that was not the case. However, the wait is officially over, as Xbox announced during a special podcast episode with senior management that Diablo 4 will be added to Xbox Game Pass on March 28, 2024, with Call of Duty games also recently on the table. was confirmed.
Call of Duty is coming to Game Pass! Call of Duty games could be coming to Xbox Game Pass soon. If you’re a CoD fan and a Game Pass subscriber, this is great news for you! Microsoft has confirmed that the popular shooter series will finally join the subscription service. However, you will still need some patience before you can play it for free (as long as you are a subscriber). Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer recently confirmed in an interview that Microsoft aims to offer “the full portfolio of games from Zenimax, Activision Blizzard and Xbox Game Studios” on Game Pass on day one, indirectly confirming that CoD will appear on the subscription service. In the near future, however no specific time frame was given.
While one might think that Call of Duty’s next release in 2024, Black Ops Gulf War, might not be available on Game Pass at launch (expected in October), there’s a chance it will join the service this year. Microsoft has also mentioned working on simultaneous PC and console releases for upcoming COD games on Game Pass, giving players more options.
Not for everyone? CoD may be limited to higher game pass levels. An important piece of information to note is that not all Activision Blizzard games are currently included in Game Pass Core. For example, Diablo 4 will only be available in the highest tiers of the service. This could be the standard for future Activision Blizzard titles, including CoD. Not the most surprising revelation, given that ABK games cost millions to develop, and that money needs to be recouped.
Xbox Game Pass subscriber growth hasn’t been as explosive as expected, with 34 million subscribers in 6 years. PlayStation Plus, meanwhile, had about 48 million subscribers, announcing that the service had peaked and would not report these numbers in the future. However, the addition of a hugely popular Activision Blizzard title like Call of Duty could certainly boost Game Pass subscribers significantly. It will be interesting to see when Microsoft deems the time right to add CoD titles to Game Pass, but we hope to find out soon. Are you excited to watch Call of Duty games on Game Pass? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
