Microsoft, a leading tech company, plans to include the upcoming "Call of Duty" game in its subscription service, diverging from its traditional practice of selling the game separately. This announcement is expected at the annual Xbox showcase on June 9, although Microsoft has not yet commented. The news was first reported by Gadgets360.
Microsoft acquired "Call of Duty" through its $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, finalized late last year. The game, a highly profitable entertainment asset, has generated over $30 billion in total sales. Traditionally, Activision has released a new version of the game annually, each priced around $70.
The announcement follows a recent statement by Xbox President Sarah Bond, who revealed plans to release all first-party Xbox games on Game Pass on their release day. Game Pass is a subscription service offering access to games from Xbox and other studios for a fee. Microsoft has been expanding this service in an effort to challenge the dominance of Sony's PlayStation systems.
As of February, Game Pass had 34 million subscribers, up from 25 million in 2022. Analysts believe that adding "Call of Duty" to Game Pass will attract more subscribers, though it could affect the game's overall sales. "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III," released in November 2023, is the second-best-selling game of the year, following Sony's "Helldivers II," according to industry tracker Circana.
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