Microsoft still hasn’t solved the Call of Duty dilemma on Xbox Game Pass

Call of Duty fuels one of Microsoft’s greatest dilemmas: should the next games in the franchise be included in Xbox Game Pass from day one? Reportedly EdgeThis topic has been discussed in Redmond for quite some time, and there still appears to be no consensus on what the most appropriate solution is.

It’s a fact that sooner or later the game Call of Duty already available on the market are about to penetrate the catalog Xbox Game Pass. However, when it comes to future releases, the situation is not so clear-cut.

This is not the first time this question has been raised. Even before completing the purchase of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft warned that not all content publisher coming to Game Pass immediately. This was partly due to the firm’s previous agreements. For example, a partnership with Sony to produce certain content with Call of Duty exclusively or in advance on PlayStation.

But the debate emerging in Redmond is broader and, logically, has corporate overtones. It is reported that those who would be against the inclusion of the following Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass since its launch, they have claimed that it will negatively impact Activision Blizzard’s revenues.

Others would agree to wear new COD to the platform by subscription from day one. Although this may come with another change. Apparently Microsoft will analyze the price increase for Game Pass Ultimate. The values ​​were last changed in June 2023.

It is unclear whether there will be inclusion Call of Duty This could be used to justify a possible increase in the quota; or if an increase in the price of a service is made to try to recoup some of what is not received from the sale of future supplies shooter first person. Perhaps a mixture of both? It is impossible to know for now.

Dilemma Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass

It’s a fact that Microsoft needs Activision Blizzard’s big profits. In its latest financial results, the company reported drop in sales of Xbox consoles by 31% only in the last quarter.

On the other hand, Xbox services and content revenue grew by 62%, with the net effect of the Activision acquisition being 61 points. It is logical to assume that this is an intervention even more once Call of Duty the long-awaited version of Xbox Game Pass.

The fact that the console is no longer the center of the Xbox ecosystem is nothing new. Led by Phil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming is making an all-or-nothing bet on Game Pass and Cloud Gaming. Call of Duty plays a decisive role in this strategy. The first-person shooter saga is one of the most profitable in the industry’s recent history, and its new owners are determined to make the most of it.

If it negatively impacts creativity and innovation, it probably doesn’t matter much as long as the money keeps flowing into Redmond’s coffers. And if there’s one thing that became clear from this week’s Bethesda studio closure soap opera, it’s that no option is excludedkind of radical.