Highlights

  • Black Ops 6 on Xbox Game Pass will have varying content access based on subscription tier - Ultimate offers the full game, Console has campaign access, and Core has no version of the title.
  • While this is not necessarily surprising, as Game Pass Ultimate is usually required for access to Day One releases, some subscribers may be a bit disappointed.
  • Pre-order perks include the Woods Operator Pack and early beta access, and Game Pass subcribers will have the option to upgrade to the Vault Edition for $30 on all subscription tiers.

Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 access will vary depending on the player's Game Pass subscription tier. Microsoft formally revealed Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at the recent Xbox Games Showcase, previously announcing that it would be the first Call of Duty title to launch on Game Pass day and date. However, unlike other games on the service, Black Ops 6's playable content won't be the same for all subscribers.

Now confirmed for release on October 25, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the much-awaited continuation of the Black Ops series, carrying the baton forward from 2020's Cold War while also featuring much more content at launch. Moreover, Black Ops 6 will also make its way to Xbox Game Pass on day one, a first for the franchise but unsurprising considering Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year.

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However, it appears Black Ops 6's Game Pass inclusion isn't as straightforward as some of Xbox Game Pass's other titles. Shortly after the game's reveal at the Xbox Games Showcase, Activision published a plethora of information about Black Ops 6 on the official Call of Duty website, wherein it detailed how the game's content would be split between Game Pass' various tiers. As it turns out, Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC subscribers will be able to access the full game, i.e. Black Ops 6's campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes.

Game Pass Console Members Will Miss Out On Big Chunks of Black Ops 6

The news isn't great for non-Ultimate Game Pass subscribers on console, as they will have access to Black Ops 6's campaign only, with multiplayer and Zombie modes locked to the higher tiers. Game Pass Core subscribers, meanwhile, won't have access to the game at all without purchasing it or upgrading their subscription tier, but this isn't surprising considering Microsoft's previous confirmation of Black Ops 6's Game Pass availability.

Game Pass Console subscribers may be disappointed at the division of content, but considering the exorbitant developmental budgets of Call of Duty titles, it may have been a necessary step to have Black Ops 6 on Game Pass in the first place. Those who pre-order the game will receive two perks: the Woods Operator Pack and open beta early access. Additionally, subscribers on all three tiers will have the option to upgrade to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's Vault Edition for $30.