Microsoft has finished buying Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, including popular games like Call of Duty. This means Microsoft can potentially include these games in its Game Pass for Xbox and PC.
With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 coming soon on Nov. 10, people are curious about when these games, especially the latest one, will be available on Game Pass.
When Will Call of Duty Be on Game Pass?
Activision Blizzard has given us some information about Game Pass. They mentioned on October 9 that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4, which are big releases in 2023, won’t be on Game Pass this year. However, starting in 2024, the company does have plans to start adding games to Game Pass.
Activision Blizzard said on Twitter, “As we continue to work toward regulatory approval of the Microsoft deal, we’ve been getting some questions whether our upcoming and recently launched games will be available via Game Pass.”
They continue, “While we do not have plans to put Modern Warfare® III or Diablo IV into Game Pass this year, once the deal closes, we expect to start working with Xbox to bring our titles to more players around the world. And we anticipate that we would begin adding games into Game Pass sometime in the course of next year.”
It’s awesome to see anticipation building for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III. As we continue to work toward regulatory approval of the Microsoft deal, we’ve been getting some questions whether our upcoming and recently launched games will be available via Game Pass.
While we…
— Activision Blizzard (@ATVI_AB) October 9, 2023
Activision Blizzard’s message doesn’t directly say that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4 will be on Game Pass in 2024, but it doesn’t say they won’t be either.
By looking at this statement and how fast Bethesda games joined Game Pass after Microsoft got Zenimax Media, we can make some smart guesses about when Activision Blizzard games might join Game Pass.
When Can You Play Old Call of Duty Games on Game Pass?
Microsoft started putting Bethesda games on Game Pass shortly after finalizing the deal in March 2021. Initially, they added 20 games, mostly older ones. The next games from Bethesda, Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, had exclusive deals with PlayStation.
It wasn’t until this year that Bethesda started releasing games on Game Pass on the same day they came out, including Hi-Fi Rush, Redfall, and Starfield.
Activision Blizzard won’t be putting games on Game Pass very fast. However, we can anticipate older games from their collection, like the last two Modern Warfare Call of Duty games, to be available on the service in early 2024. Newer games might take more time to be added.
Even though Activision Blizzard doesn’t have a special deal with PlayStation, there’s a marketing agreement with Sony for Modern Warfare 3. This means the game might not come to Game Pass for about six months to a year.
Activision also has a fixed plan for marketing and business for Call of Duty, which Microsoft might not want to disrupt. So, it’s likely that we’ll see Modern Warfare 3 on Game Pass around late 2024, maybe alongside next year’s Call of Duty release.
When Will Other Activision Blizzard Games Come to Game Pass?
Activision Blizzard probably won’t quickly add Diablo 4 to Game Pass for similar reasons. Unlike Modern Warfare 3, there’s no PlayStation marketing deal causing a delay. Diablo 3 and Diablo 2: Resurrected could be among the first older games added to the service for subscribers, maybe sooner than Modern Warfare 3.
A big question is about World of Warcraft. The game turns 20 in 2024 and has many players who pay a monthly fee. It’s unclear if Microsoft will risk losing this money to make Game Pass better. They might decide to do it, but it’s a tough choice, so don’t expect it to happen soon, if ever.
Overwatch 2 is free to play so that part is not as important. However, Game Pass members have already gotten some bonuses, like unlocking certain heroes right away. More perks for Overwatch 2 could be added to Game Pass around early 2024.
This is everything we know about Call of Duty on Game Pass. Additionally, you can check our guide on Call of Duty Lobby Leaks. Stay connected with GameEmpress.com to get the latest news and guides about the gaming world.