Highlights
- The Call of Duty series may not be coming to Xbox Game Pass.
- The rumored decision is said to be part of Microsoft's pivot to third-party publishing that prioritizes multi-platform releases.
- Activision Blizzard previously said its titles would start arriving on Xbox Game Pass in 2024.
The Call of Duty series may not be coming to Xbox Game Pass, a well-known Microsoft leaker has said. The addition of the hit shooter franchise to Xbox Game Pass was previously touted as one of the biggest consumer-facing benefits of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
After the $68.7 billion deal was closed in October, Microsoft was swarmed with fan questions about when exactly it intends to bring its newest subsidiary's catalog to its subscription service. Shortly thereafter, Activision Blizzard said its games would start arriving on Xbox Game Pass sometime in 2024.
Xbox Game Pass Adds Massive AAA Day One Game
The first February 2024 addition to Xbox Game Pass is a day-one release of a critically acclaimed AAA title years in the making.
Call of Duty May Skip Game Pass As Part of Microsoft's Pivot to Third-Party Publishing
And while the Call of Duty series was never expected to be in the first wave of those additions, it now appears that the hit franchise may end up skipping the subscription service altogether. That's according to long-time Microsoft leaker Timdog, who said he "heard" that Call of Duty won't be coming to Xbox Game Pass during the latest episode of the Gamers Council podcast. The insider sarcastically labeled that move as one of Microsoft's "brilliant ideas" made as part of the company's rumored pivot to third-party publishing, all in response to declining Xbox console sales.
The strategic shift, which Microsoft has yet to announce, is rumored to result in a variety of its existing and upcoming titles going multi-platform. Among other things, several insiders reported that Starfield will be coming to the PS5 sometime in 2024. While its PlayStation release date remains unclear, Microsoft is said to be aiming to bring Bethesda's latest title to Sony's console around the time the Shattered Space expansion launches on PC and the Xbox Series X/S. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is also said to be under consideration for a multi-platform release.
I heard that even Call of Duty is not going to come to Game Pass; that's one of their brilliant ideas.
Xbox Game Pass Is Said To Be Profitable But Unsustainable
As for the alleged decision to keep Call of Duty away from Xbox Game Pass, Timdog said the rumored move was part of Microsoft's reaction to realizing that its subscription service, in its current form, is not sustainable. According to recent analyst estimates, Xbox Game Pass hit 33.3 million subscribers by December 2023, six and a half years following its debut. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was recently quoted as saying that the subscription service is profitable, but requires $1 billion in annual content investments.
Timdog expects the company to announce its shift to multi-platform publishing at the next Xbox Games Showcase, which is said to be packed with new titles. When exactly that event is planned to take place is unclear. Prior to this report, Call of Duty was expected to reach Xbox Game Pass in 2025, according to Microsoft's previous regulatory disclosures.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft's flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
