The upcoming title in Activision’s renowned Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 6, will be available on Xbox Game Pass upon its launch, Microsoft announced on Tuesday. Subscribers to the Game Pass service will have immediate access to the game starting on release day. This announcement follows earlier reports suggesting that Xbox was planning to add the latest Call of Duty installment to its subscription platform.
Microsoft has heavily invested in Xbox Game Pass, committing to launch all first-party titles on the service. However, this strategy has impacted the sales performance of its exclusive games. Introducing Call of Duty—a leading franchise in global video game sales—on Game Pass is expected to enhance subscriber growth, though it may also detract from direct sales. Players on Xbox consoles, PC, and other compatible devices will be able to enjoy Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at no extra cost on launch day.
In January, Microsoft disclosed that Xbox Game Pass has reached 34 million subscribers, a 36 percent increase from previous reports made over two years. Despite this growth, subscription services in the gaming industry have faced challenges in attracting new users in recent months. Industry analyst Mat Piscatella noted earlier this month that spending on non-mobile game subscription services had plateaued, with only a 1% rise observed in March 2024 compared to April 2023.
This month also saw Microsoft closing several of its game development studios, including Tango Gameworks, known for Hi-Fi Rush, and Arkane Austin, the studio behind Redfall. The company is now concentrating on its “priority games.” While Redfall received a lukewarm reception and did not meet Microsoft’s expectations, Hi-Fi Rush was described as a “breakout hit” based on various success metrics. However, much of the player engagement for the rhythm-based title was attributed to Game Pass usage rather than direct sales. Launching Call of Duty—an extremely popular and lucrative franchise—on Game Pass could represent Microsoft’s most significant risk regarding their subscription strategy to date.
Activision, purchased by Microsoft last year, announced last week that Black Ops 6 will be the next entry in the series. The company is slated to provide a comprehensive reveal of the game during a Direct presentation following the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9. Although minimal information has been shared thus far—limited to some teasers and a live-action trailer—Microsoft indicated that additional details about Black Ops 6 will be unveiled during the Direct showcase, promising the “first in-depth look at gameplay in this dark new chapter of the Black Ops series.”