In a significant change to its longstanding policy, Microsoft intends to offer the next version of the “Call of Duty” video game through its subscription service. This development was revealed by a source familiar with the plans on Friday.
The announcement is anticipated during Microsoft’s annual Xbox showcase, slated for June 9. The source requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the information.
Microsoft has not yet responded to a request for comments from Reuters. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on this potential shift in strategy.
The gaming giant acquired “Call of Duty” as part of its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard, which was finalized late last year.
“Call of Duty” stands as one of the most successful entertainment franchises, having amassed over $30 billion in revenue since its inception.
Historically, Activision has launched new editions of the game on an annual basis, with recent titles priced around $70 each.
This news follows recent comments from Xbox President Sarah Bond, who indicated at a conference that the company plans to debut all first-party Xbox games on Game Pass concurrent with their launch dates.
Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service, provides access to a variety of games from Xbox and other developers for a monthly fee.
Based in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft has been vigorously expanding its Netflix-style game subscription service, aiming to challenge the prevalence of Sony’s PlayStation consoles.
In February, Microsoft announced that Game Pass had reached 34 million subscribers, an increase from 25 million in 2022.
Experts believe that including “Call of Duty”—a franchise with a massive and dedicated following—could attract more subscribers to Game Pass, while potentially impacting the overall sales of the game itself.
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III”, which debuted in November 2023, is currently the second-best-selling game of the year, trailing behind Sony’s “Helldivers II,” according to industry tracker Circana.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
