Microsoft Provides Update on Call of Duty for Game Pass

10.05.2024 - 14:53 / gamerant.com / Phil Spencer / Sarah Bond / Xbox Game Pass / Viraaj Bhatnagar

Xbox president Sarah Bond has confirmed that the company will continue to launch its first-party games, including Activision titles like Call of Duty, on Game Pass. This news comes in the midst of a period of uncertainty over the subscription service, as recent reports claimed that Microsoft was internally debating whether new Call of Duty titles should be launched on Xbox Game Pass.

Ever since Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard closed in late 2023, Xbox fans have wondered when the company plans to add the Call of Duty library to Xbox Game Pass.Diablo 4 was the first Activision Blizzard game to make it to the service back in March, with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirming that the team was working on getting Call of Duty on Game Pass as well. However, after Xbox's recent shuttering of four Bethesda studios, several reports poured in with deeper insights into the business, claiming that Xbox Game Pass may see a price hike and that new Call of Duty games could skip the service entirely.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Sarah Bond addressed the concerns by explicitly stating that Xbox first-party titles «across the whole slate,» including Activision's portfolio (which includes Call of Duty), will continue to launch onto Game Pass on day one. Bond's allaying of the rumors is potentially a significant reassurance for Game Pass subscribers anticipating playing new Call of Duty games on the service, but it's worth noting that the executive didn't address whether the price of Game Pass could be increased. It also remains unconfirmed whether this year's much-awaited Call of Duty Black Ops: Gulf War will launch day one on the service.

Beyond confirming the inclusion of more Activision titles on Game Pass, Bond also teased the addition of «some really big games» to the subscription service later this year. Currently, Xbox has first-party games like Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and the imminent Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 confirmed to release on Game Pass in 2024. The upcoming Xbox Games Showcase on June 9 is also set to reveal more of the brand's first-party lineup, with the allegedCall of DutyDirect right after the showcase possibly confirming whether Gulf War will release on Game Pass.

After a tough week for Xbox, this news is no doubt a positive development for fans of the brand, especially Game Pass subscribers. Microsoft still appears to be confident in the service, and the confirmation of the Activision and Call of Duty libraries on Game Pass is encouraging. Moreover, it was recently reported that the company is gearing up for an announcement regarding the release of Call of Duty's back catalog on Xbox Game Pass, which may take place