Xbox's Phil Spencer Announces Day-One Release Of All Activision Games On Xbox Game Pass: Is Call Of Duty Included?
Portfolio Pulse from Franca Quarneti
Phil Spencer, Xbox head, announced Microsoft Corp.'s plan to release all games from Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and Xbox Game Studios on Game Pass on their launch day, including major titles like Call of Duty. This marks a significant strategy shift, potentially impacting traditional sales models and subscriber numbers. Concerns remain among publishers about the effects of subscription services on game sales, with skepticism from figures like Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick. The next Call of Duty installment is expected to launch in late 2023.

February 21, 2024 | 10:38 pm
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Microsoft's announcement to include all Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax games on Xbox Game Pass from launch day, including Call of Duty, represents a significant strategic shift that could enhance Game Pass's value proposition and potentially increase subscriber numbers.
By including high-demand titles like Call of Duty in the Game Pass subscription from day one, Microsoft is likely to attract more subscribers and retain existing ones, enhancing the appeal of Game Pass. This could lead to increased revenue from subscriptions, although it may also impact traditional game sales. The strategic shift indicates Microsoft's confidence in the subscription model over individual game sales.
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IMPORTANCE 90
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