- A rumor claims that Xbox might not launch Call of Duty games on Game Pass.
- The current Game Pass business model is unsustainable and can’t justify costs.
- Xbox has yet to comment on the situation or its plans.
Ever since the Activision Blizzard deal came through, speculations about Call of Duty on Game Pass have been making the rounds. Microsoft hasn’t made a direct comment, but it was anticipated that the games would be arriving on the subscription service soon.
However, a new report has emerged, claiming that Call of Duty games might not launch on the service at all. The rumor comes from Timdog, a reliable source, who has provided several other pieces of information on the current situation.
Why it matters: Call of Duty is undeniably the biggest first-person shooter series out there. Considering its ownership was one of the primary reasons behind the Activision acquisition, it seems odd for Microsoft to backtrack on its decision.
(FYI) @XcloudTimdog explains why Microsoft made this decision to go third-party
– Tim has heard that Call of Duty may not be coming to game pass.
– Hardware sales have not met the projected sales and the CFO got spooked.
– In the last three months of last year, they had consoles… pic.twitter.com/ImxdBNIeh7— Idle Sloth💙💛 (@IdleSloth84_) February 5, 2024
The reason, according to the source, is that Game Pass, in its current form, is unsustainable.
Therefore, it won’t be able to share a massive market and offset the costs. This comes after Phil Spencer said the platform is profitable but requires $1 billion yearly. And Call of Duty is indeed a huge money-grabber.
Even with its worst-rated title, Activision was able to boast huge numbers on both PlayStation and Xbox. Of these numbers, micro-transactions are a huge source of income for the series.
Recent reports have suggested that Microsoft is no longer happy to lose money on its business model. The Xbox Series S|X hardware results have been underwhelming, while Game Pass has not grown as big as Microsoft would have wanted.
Amidst the current situation, putting Call of Duty on Game Pass might not be a viable strategy. At the time of the Bethesda acquisition, all games from the publisher were added to the service on day one.
Several months after the Activision acquisition was approved, there is no such sign for games like Call of Duty or Diablo.
Still, fans can expect older games on the service since these can help bring a boost to Xbox’s business. Microsoft is currently going through various changes, so it is difficult to say what the future holds.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
