Xbox Game Pass could get massive Call of Duty boost

With Microsoft merging with Activision/Blizzard, it was quick to assure PS5 owners that the beloved Call of Duty franchise would stay on Sony's console, but it looks like Xbox and PC users could be in line for a serious advantage.

The FPS franchise that rules them all could be gaming to Xbox Game Pass soon. According to Xbox insider Idle Sloth, gamers in Brazil trying to purchase Call of Duty Black Ops II in the Xbox Store were given a message stating "You receive this item for free with your gaming subscription. Continue to check out and use it forever!" 

Admittedly getting a 2012 Xbox 360 title as part of Game Pass isn't the most exciting news in the world, but the potential for other more modern games in the series to arrive on the service is tantalising. Even if they do continue to launch on PlayStation, this would make Xbox the go-to platform for CoD. Thankfully, with modern iterations having crossplay, PlayStation owners will still find plenty of matches even if they are in the minority. 

So could we see November 10th's Modern Warfare 3 launch on the service? In fairness, Microsoft has not been afraid to put big titles on Game Pass from day one in the past. This very month, both Starfield and Payday 3 (which also launched on PS5) have hit Game Pass in simultaneous releases. Adding CoD would make for a killer second half to 2023 for the service, already one of the best deals in gaming. There's almost certainly no way that Microsoft would let Sony do the same and add CoD with its PlayStation Plus Premium subscription service. 

With previous instalments in the franchise spanning several console generations, I would personally love a way to have them all in one place. Of course, even if you don't have a Game Pass subscription, you could always download the Warzone Battle Royale game for free.