Wait for Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass Will Be Longer than Expected

Summary

Call ofDutyhas been central to Microsoft’s ongoing attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard, and fans who are hoping to see the world’s most popular first-person shooter franchise land onXbox Game Passmight have to be a little patient if the deal closes. While it is true that with Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda fans were able to enjoy games from franchises likeThe Elder Scrolls, Fallout,andDoomon Game Pass before long, and announcements ofheavy-hitters likeStarfieldas day-one Game Pass gamescoming soon after, it seems that Activision Blizzard is another kettle of fish entirely.

Game Pass routinely gets a variety of new games. Just recentlyTheTexas Chain Saw Massacrelanded as a day-one title along with the unique mystery adventure gameFirewatch.Call of Dutyfans might envision a future where new games like the upcomingModern Warfare 3land on Game Pass at launch, but Xbox head Phil Spencer has encouraged fans to manage their expectations if Microsoft is able to seal the Activision Blizzard deal.

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In an interview with IGN’s Destin Lagarie at Gamescom 2023, Spencer addressed the question of Activision Blizzardgames coming to Game Pass by saying that “there’s work for us to go do” and “it will take us time to get the games to portfolio.” He went on to discussMicrosoft’s proposition to give Ubisoft the streaming rightsfor all Activision Blizzard games over the next 15 years, which Microsoft hopes will address the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) concerns about the acquisition.

While Spencer did not specifically mentionCall of Duty,it is well known that the franchise is Activision Blizzard’s bread and butter and is central to the ongoing acquisition attempt. Microsoft likely has several hoops to jump through to close the deal, and one of them may be signing some or other agreement that bars it from puttingCall of DutyonGame Pass. That said, this is all purely speculation, but it is clear thatCall of Dutyfans will have to exercise some patience.

While gamers might not see new entries in the franchise on Game Pass any time soon, someclassicCall of Dutytitles might do well on Game Passand allow gamers to relive the various campaigns and adventures. One can only hope at this stage. It seems that Microsoft is doing everything it can to toe the line and appease the various powers that be so it can continue its push to acquire Activision Blizzard.