When Xbox announced it was acquiring Activision Blizzard for an insane amount of money, there was (and still is) a lot of concern about what would happen with the flagship title, Call of Duty. As with previous Xbox acquisitions, most first-party Xbox games end up on Xbox Game Pass the day of release. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, confirmed that not only would Activision Blizzard games make their way to Xbox Game Pass, but Call of Duty would also remain on other platforms, like PlayStation.
“Subscription services like Game Pass make gaming more affordable and help players from all over the world find their next favorite game. Game Pass empowers developers to bring more games to more players, not fewer. We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass and to grow those gaming communities.”
Phil Spencer, CEO Microsoft Games
While that is a great bonus for Xbox Game Pass members, Spencer also alleviated concerns that Call of Duty might disappear from other platforms after the acquisition. He goes one step further. In a time where there are console, and even content exclusives, Spencer reiterated that the PlayStation version would be the same as other platforms.
“We’ve heard that this deal might take franchises like Call of Duty away from the places where people currently play them. That’s why, as we’ve said before, we are committed to making the same version of Call of Duty available on PlayStation on the same day the game launches elsewhere.”
Phil Spencer
Spencer finishes his blog post by saying that Xbox will “continue to engage with regulators with a spirit of transparency and openness as they review this acquisition.”
What do you think about Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo, and more coming to Xbox Game Pass? What other Activision Blizzard games do you want to see come to Game Pass? Do you think Xbox will follow through with its “gaming for everyone, everywhere” in relation to its pending Activision Blizzard acquisition? Let us know on social media by using the buttons below.
