Sharpshooters recently spotted an intriguing message when attempting to download Call of Duty titles, specifically the 2012 entry by Treyarch, Black Ops 2, from the Xbox Store. The notification teased a tantalizing prospect of accessing the same game with a subscription. With Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard nearing its final stages, chatter grows about the famed shooter series finding a home on Game Pass.
Microsoft’s eye-popping deal to take Activision Blizzard under its wing sent waves across the gaming seas. The burning question? Would the iconic Call of Duty series finally drop onto Microsoft’s subscription shores? While Phil Spencer, the ever-vocal Microsoft Gaming head, had earlier dropped hints that docking these titles on Game Pass wouldn’t be instant due to the nitty-gritty of game porting, recent winds suggest a change in course.
The Competition and Markets Authority had initially flagged the pact between Activision and Sony, implying a delay for Call of Duty’s sail to Game Pass. However, a pivotal deal between Sony and Microsoft earlier this year helped flip things on its head. This new agreement ensures PlayStation continues getting Call of Duty titles for a decade post the merger. Furthermore, it’s believed that the contract allows Sony to float Call of Duty on PS Plus for its duration.
— Game Pass Tracker (@gamepasstracker) September 24, 2023
Thus, this leads us to wonder, was it also a part of this deal for Call of Duty to arrive on the Game Pass much earlier than expected?
Further clues have surfaced all over the internet. Apparently, the same message doesn’t just appear when attempting to download Black Ops 2. Fans have seen a similar pop-up after attempting to add Infinity Ward’s 2013 entry, Ghosts, without paying for anything.
There’s no downplaying the allure of the Call of Duty series. Its charm has stood the test of time. It’s a titan in gaming as it constantly pulls in billions of dollars in revenue every year. Most recently, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 enjoyed a historical launch weekend, further cementing the franchise’s status as the industry’s foremost shooter.
Introducing these titles, even age-old classics, to Game Pass is bound to be a crowd-puller. Think about it – classics such as Black Ops 2 still command hefty price tags, and their addition would be nothing short of a gold mine for Game Pass aficionados.
If nothing else, this would certainly help silence the critics about how the Game Pass is a value destructive model. After all, how could a service provide little to no value if it’s letting publishers squeeze out even more from titles that are two generations old?
Keep in mind that many Call of Duty fans consider the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era entries as the franchise’s peak. By sprinkling the addition of these older Call of Duty titles to the Game Pass over the next few years, Microsoft guarantees that it won’t have to close up shop in 2027, as warned by Phil Spencer.
Of course, while the excitement’s mainly around the classics due to previous pacts, they remain beneficial to the overall series. The newer titles might need to bide their time, considering Sony’s rights over titles that came out on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and later on, the Xbox Series S/X and the PlayStation 5.
At the end of the day though, the overarching sentiment remains – the Call of Duty series could be a game-changer for Game Pass.
