Xbox Boss Teases When Call of Duty Could Come to Game Pass
Call of Duty won't come to Game Pass right away.
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has teased when we can expect Call of Duty to come to Xbox Game Pass, if the Activision merger closes. Over the last year and a half, there's been a lot of hoopla about what will happen to Xbox, Activision, and perhaps most importantly to some, Call of Duty, if Xbox successfully acquires Activision. Microsoft put in a bid for the massive gaming publisher for just under $70 billion and has been battling regulators to make sure it goes through. As of right now, it looks like Microsoft may get its way as it overcame the FTC and just has to appease some concerns with the UK's CMA. The tech giant has already made moves to make sure that happens as it has offered cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft for Call of Duty for the next 15 years, meaning Microsoft can not create a cloud gaming monopoly.
When speaking with IGN, Xbox's Phil Spencer noted that we won't see Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass the day the deal closes. Spencer stated that's never been the case with other acquisitions and wanted to stress it takes a great deal of work to bring games to Game Pass, as opposed to just flipping a switch. Of course, that doesn't exactly give us a time table, but it should temper expectations.
"I want to make sure people know that there's work to actually move games to Game Pass. So for people who think the deal's going to close, then everything's available. That's not true. And it hasn't been true in other acquisitions that we've done. There's work for us to go do, just mechanical work for us to go do. So it'll take us time, definitely time to get the games in the portfolio."
So long as everything goes smoothly, the deal is expected to close this fall. PlayStation still has a deal in place with Call of Duty, so even if things get ironed out, you won't see Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox Game Pass on day one. That would likely start with next year's game or possibly even 2026's Call of Duty. Either way, Call of Duty will come to Xbox Game Pass at some point should the deal close.
Are you excited to play Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.