Maybe the Call of Duty game you should be playing right now is 2020’s Black Ops Cold War on Xbox Game Pass
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has become an appealing option through its arrival on Xbox Game Pass. The article explores how the writer, who previously skipped both Black Ops Cold War (2020) and Modern Warfare (2019) due to dissatisfaction with the franchise’s direction following Black Ops 4, has renewed interest in the series. This renewed engagement coincided with Black Ops 6’s launch and was significantly aided by Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which brought Call of Duty titles to Game Pass. The piece highlights that while the franchise’s back catalog has gradually been made available on the subscription service, new Call of Duty releases will operate under a different strategy—remaining exclusive to Game Pass for one year following launch before becoming available through other distribution channels. This represents a significant shift in how Activision distributes its flagship franchise, reflecting Microsoft’s ownership and the company’s broader Game Pass expansion strategy.