Activision provides a preliminary timeline for Call of Duty and Diablo to be on Game Pass – Xbox

While immediate additions are unlikely for new premium releases, additions to older titles could come very soon.

The massive Microsoft-Activision deal has faced strong regulatory hurdles, but now looks set to gain UK approval after successfully completing the process in the EU and US. With the finish line in sight, gamers are rightfully wondering when their favorite Activision franchises could appear on the Xbox/PC Game Pass subscription service.

Activision has made it clear that it has no plans to add upcoming major titles like Diablo IV or Modern Warfare 3 to Game Pass this year. Instead, the partnership with Microsoft and Xbox Game Pass will begin in 2024. So those looking to get day one access to the new Netflix-like Call of Duty service on Xbox will have to wait.

But according to his sources Windows CentralAlthough the newer games won’t appear right away, several older Activision titles are expected to arrive on Xbox Game Pass around the same time the acquisition is completed.

Call of Duty is the crown jewel of Activision’s catalog, a huge franchise thanks to pre-paid sales and microtransactions. The arrival of the series’ newest titles on Game Pass could impact this profitable model in unexpected ways. Both positive, as it expands the player base, and negative, if it reduces the huge revenue generated by sales of the title itself via well-known channels.

Microsoft will likely move very cautiously with the Call of Duty integration. As evidence of this, this summer Xbox revived Call of Duty servers for Xbox 360, a move that led to an increase in the number of users. This could have been a test to measure the effects of player behavior before Modern Warfare 3 was shut down.

However, beyond Call of Duty, Microsoft has instant access to hundreds of classic Activision titles that can more safely be added to Game Pass. Classic games like Spyro, Tony Hawk, StarCraft, and Guitar Hero bring with them a lot of nostalgia and are often serialized waiting for a revival.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see some of these older games make their way to Xbox Game Pass on day one of the acquisition, quickly bolstering the service’s library of games.