Xbox Considering Ending Day One Call of Duty on Game Pass, It’s Claimed
Microsoft may be ending its day-one Game Pass availability for Call of Duty titles, according to recent reports. The news comes as sources suggest the company is reconsidering its strategy around the subscription service, which has included Call of Duty games since 2024 following Microsoft’s 2023 acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
The decision to include Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 on Game Pass at launch represented a significant investment in the subscription model. Gaming industry analyst Christopher Dring noted in 2024 that Call of Duty’s availability on Game Pass would be “the biggest test for subscription models in gaming,” suggesting that if the franchise couldn’t drive subscriber growth, few other games would be able to.
However, according to Windows Central reporter Jez Corden, the results of that test appear to have prompted reconsideration. In a recent livestream, Corden indicated that Microsoft is evaluating whether to continue the practice, stating that removing Call of Duty from Game Pass this year “would reveal some of the cracks in the strategy.”
The move reportedly cost Microsoft around $300 million and was designed to exert competitive pressure on Sony’s PlayStation subscription offerings. Despite that investment, the apparent underperformance suggests the strategy may not be yielding expected subscriber growth.
If confirmed, the change would mean future Call of Duty releases would likely require separate purchases for Xbox players, similar to PlayStation owners. The potential decision highlights challenges facing the Game Pass model and questions about which premium titles can genuinely drive subscription adoption.