Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is due to be released on the 10th November, and with the ongoing legal process of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, many of you may be wondering if MW3 is going to be released on Xbox Game Pass.
If you’re a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, you would be able to play the latest Call of Duty game on PC and Xbox Series X when it launches for free if it were on the service. However, the recent acquisition of Activision has introduced some complexity to the situation. Let’s delve into what we know at this moment.
Is Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 going to be on Game Pass?
Unfortunately, during the FTC vs Microsoft court case, it was revealed that the Call of Duty series cannot legally appear on the Xbox Game Pass service until at least 2025. This limitation stems from a marketing agreement previously established between Activision and PlayStation.
According to documents released during the court hearing, this agreement appears to remain in effect until 2025, thereby preventing the series from being included in the Xbox Game Pass library until that time.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has since made it public knowledge that Microsoft intends to make Activision Blizzard’s library of games available on Xbox Game Pass once the acquisition has gone through, mentioning Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty. It’s just a shame that this year’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 or any further Call of Duty games in 2024 won’t be made available on the service.
“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. By delivering even more value to players, we hope to continue growing Game Pass, extending its appeal to mobile phones and any connected device.” Spencer commented in a blog update outlining his view on the Activision acquisition last year.
It’s certainly expected that Microsoft will add the entire Call of Duty franchise to Xbox Game Pass once the marketing deal with PlayStation concludes in 2025. When that time comes, subscribers should be able to play most of the Call of Duty titles on the service, opening it up to a new group of players.
That’s all there is to know about one of the year’s most anticipated FPS games arriving on Xbox Game Pass, but if anything changes we will of course let you know.
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