Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is finally complete, but does that mean Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will launch day one on Xbox Game Pass? It would be a huge get for the service, but there are timing issues to consider, as well as a litany of other problems that would prevent the next big Call of Duty game from hitting either PC or Xbox Game Pass.
There’s no doubt that the Call of Duty franchise is the biggest franchise that Microsoft received with the Activision Blizzard acquisition, considering how well the games sell, and how big their multiplayer components are. Indeed, Microsoft had to agree to allow Call of Duty games to stay on PlayStation systems in the near future as part of the process for getting the acquisition agreed, so impactful is a full exclusivity deal for the franchise.
Related: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 All Preorder Bonuses
When Will Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III Join Xbox Game Pass?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is set to launch on November 10, which means it falls after the completion of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Unfortunately, a day-one release is off the cards, as Activision Blizzard publicly addressed the game’s presence on the service via a Twitter post.
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, 2023According to Activision Blizzard, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III won’t arrive on Xbox Game Pass until 2024 at the earliest. The same is also true of Diablo IV, which was another big Activision Blizzard hit from this year. This means fans shouldn’t expect Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III to launch on Game Pass in 2023.
It’s likely that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is the last entry in the series to skip Game Pass, as future titles will almost certainly get a day-one launch. Microsoft didn’t spend all of that money for nothing, as the new Call of Duty games hitting Game Pass at launch is a massive incentive for new subscribers and could help draw fans to the Xbox Series X/S in the future.
Related: Modern Warfare 3 – Every Map & Gameplay Mode
Luckily, there are plenty of other Call of Duty games that could come to PC and Xbox Game Pass in the near-future. It’s possible that Microsoft will drip-feed the classic games onto the service, including the ones from the Xbox 360 and Xbox One generations, in the run-up to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III hitting the service and the new games arriving in the future.
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Scott Baird
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