With the recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, gamers are buzzing with excitement about the prospect of Call of Duty titles coming to Xbox Game Pass. Here’s what we know so far.
On October 13, 2023, Microsoft made headlines with the announcement of its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. After a lengthy process, spanning 633 days, Microsoft welcomed the publisher’s esteemed studios and beloved IPs, including Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Diablo, among others, into the Xbox Game Studios family.
Now that the deal is sealed, Call of Duty fans are eagerly awaiting the potential benefits of this merger. They are particularly curious about whether the iconic franchise will become available on Xbox Game Pass. Fortunately, both Microsoft and Activision have shed some light on the matter.
Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass
Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, there is good news for fans of the Call of Duty series. The Xbox Game Pass X account confirmed that they have already begun the work to bring Activision Blizzard’s games, including the iconic Call of Duty franchise and Diablo 4, to the service. They have promised to share more details “in the coming months.”
The Release Timeline
While gamers may have hopes of playing their favorite Call of Duty titles on Xbox Game Pass within the next few months, it seems they will need to exercise a little more patience. Activision Blizzard has announced that they do not plan to release titles like Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo IV on Game Pass this year. However, they did reveal in an X post on October 9 that they will collaborate with Xbox to bring their titles to the service “sometime in the course of next year [2024].”
Speaking on the Xbox Podcast on October 17, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer reaffirmed the 2024 release window. He advised players not to expect any surprise drops this year, explaining that the regulatory process had taken too long and left little time for back catalog work with Activision Blizzard.
The Prospects and Benefits
With the acquisition now finalized, many Call of Duty enthusiasts wonder if classic titles from the franchise will be added to Xbox Game Pass. While there is no official confirmation yet, the notable matchmaking improvements and the transfer of ownership to Microsoft make this a promising possibility.
The introduction of Call of Duty to Xbox Game Pass would not only allow fans to save money, but it would also grant them significant day-one access, a feature greatly cherished by longtime players of the series.
If you’re interested in more Call of Duty content, visit Capturing Fantasy for a variety of guides and articles.
