While the takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is expected by June 2023 at the latest, the various authorities around the world are continuing their investigations to approve it or not. And it is on this occasion that the boss of Xbox, Phil Spencer, gives us some details today on his vision, and in particular on the games that will arrive in the Xbox Game Pass.
Call of Duty, Overwatch and Diablo in Xbox Game Pass, it’s official!
We saw it last week, British authorities want to expand their competition investigation regarding the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Even if things are progressing, Microsoft obviously wants to put the odds on its side for the deal to be validated, which is why Phil Spencer is publishing a letter to the press today evoking his vision.
Phil Spencer recalls that although Xbox loves consoles, they are no longer the only way to play video games.
Today, the largest and fastest growing gaming segment is mobile platforms. To reach the billions of gamers wherever they are and whatever device they’re playing on, we need to provide choice. Giving gamers choice in how they play their games makes them more accessible and leads to larger and more vibrant gaming communities. The choice is just as important for developers. Developers benefit from a variety of business and distribution models for their games. The choice opens up opportunities for innovation and allows the industry to grow.
In doing so, Phil Spencer reminds us here that Xbox is now playing in a bigger yard than a battle between PlayStation and Xbox consoles. To achieve its ambitions, Microsoft says it is banking on the Game Pass offer as well as on mobile via its cloud gaming offer, now included in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
What we note today is that the boss of Xbox confirms for the first time some of the franchises that will actually be available in the Xbox Game Pass, including Call of Duty. In addition, Phil Spencer once again clarified that once the agreement has been validated, Call of Duty will be released on PlayStation on the same day as everywhere else, and with the same content.
We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass and grow those gaming communities. By delivering even more value to gamers, we hope to continue to grow Game Pass, extending its appeal to mobile phones and any connected device.
This is not a surprise since we know that all Xbox studios are releasing their games today in the Game Pass, but this is the first time that Microsoft has mentioned it so explicitly. With some of the biggest video game franchises in the world, the Activision Blizzard catalog should propel the number of Xbox Game Pass subscriptions to a level never seen before. See you in the next few months!