- Matt Booty from Xbox reiterated a commitment to bringing all first-party releases to Game Pass on day one.
- Following the Activision Blizzard merger, Call of Duty is considered a first-party series.
- Therefore, this year’s release is highly likely to join the service at release.
Call of Duty’s arrival on Xbox Game Pass was the most exciting aspect of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition last year. This arrival was expected to catapult the service to new levels of success, but four months later, Xbox has yet to make any official announcements.
While Diablo 4 is now coming to Xbox Game Pass, fans remain concerned for the future of Call of Duty. However, a recent statement from Xbox executives seemingly hints that the series will be part of the subscription’s day-one initiative.
Why it matters: Before the deal was approved, it was argued that Call of Duty could become the exception to this day-one rule since there would be too much money left on the table for the gaming giant.
On the Xbox Podcast, executives are saying all first party Xbox titles are available Day One on Xbox Game Pass
Call of Duty now considered first party, so guess this confirms Call of Duty 2024 is Day 1 Game Pass
“Game Pass will continue to only be available on Xbox platforms… pic.twitter.com/pcnUK3NEhj
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) February 15, 2024
Xbox just wrapped up its business update, teasing new hardware announcements and the approach to future exclusives. However, statements from executives Matt Booty and Sarah Bond caught everyone’s attention.
While it did not come as a shock to see these executives reiterating day-one titles for Game Pass, they emphasized that this rule still applies to all Xbox first-party teams. Since Activision Blizzard is part of the larger Xbox division, the first-party group also includes the newly acquired publisher.
Similarly, Call of Duty is now considered a first-party IP, with this franchise now owned by Microsoft. Put together, these facts and statements suggest that 2024’s Call of Duty title is headed toward a Game Pass release.
All of our games will go into Game Pass on day one.
-Matt Booty
Call of Duty 2024 is expected to launch in October, serving as a direct extension of Treyarch’s Black Ops franchise that debuted in 2010.
The game is reportedly titled Black Ops Gulf War and introduces open-world gameplay to the campaign. Fans can also expect to see returning maps from older Black Ops games in this entry.
While Call of Duty seems all but set to join Xbox Game Pass, it may be worth taking this information with a slight grain of salt since Microsoft’s announcement implied that plans could change down the line.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
