Many of you may recall that the start of 2022 was most surprising, as Microsoft confirmed the pharaonic acquisition of Activision Blizzard for about $70 billion, making it the largest and most expensive acquisition to date. Undoubtedly, we are all eagerly awaiting this acquisition to become effective, something that is getting closer and closer, since Sony has closed the purchase a few days ago.
Activision Blizzard’s arrival on Xbox is very important, as in addition to anything else going forward, it will immdiately see Xbox Game Studios and Game Pass receive an impressive portfolio of games, technology, 14 talented studios, and a track record of commercial successes such as Call of Duty, which has already been confirmed to remain multiplatform in the company of other great sagas.until the end of the existing agreements. But when it’s all over, Will Call of Duty’s arrival on Game Pass bring more gamers to Xbox?
Activision Blizzard games would be coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2023 with different enhancements
Will Call of Duty’s arrival on Game Pass bring more gamers to Xbox?
According to various leaks, the duration of Call of Duty’s marketing agreement with Sony. would be until 2024, a full year after the acquisition is completed, which at the latest would close in early 2023. However, until such agreements are finalized, there would supposedly be no impediment to adding all Activision Blizzard games to Xbox Game Pass, including the successful and historic Call of Duty franchise.
A few months ago, Phil Spencer confirmed that Microsoft would add as many Activision Blizzard games to Xbox Game Pass as possible.just as happened with Bethesda titles when the ZeniMax Media acquisition was finalized. While this big move could be made with various enhancements, such as FPS Boost, HDR and Smart Delivery, over the course of 2023, which is sure to cause a huge movement of players from PlayStation to Xbox, especially when the next Call of Duty games become Xbox exclusives.
For Sony, Xbox Game Pass is unrivaled and they believe that no game can compete with Call of Duty. So if the strategy is to bring all Call of Duty to Game Pass, adding the next new releases day one on the service and exclusively on Xbox, there is a high probability that Xbox will receive a lot of new players. If on the other hand the Call of Duty saga ends up being like Minecraft, everything will be very different.