Microsoft’s closure of Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin and Alpha Dog Studios (with Roundhouse Studios folded into ZeniMax Online Studios) proved shocking for the industry, especially after its layoffs earlier this year. While it has plenty to look forward to, including the next Call of Duty, it’s reportedly debating whether it – and future releases in the series – should go to Game Pass.
The Verge’s Tom Warren reports the debate has been “ongoing internally for quite some time.” The obvious concern is that Game Pass will undercut the revenue that new Call of Duty usually provides. Look no further than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which continues to perform well in sales charts (and likely contributed to Microsoft’s gaming revenue for the previous fiscal quarter).
But that’s not all – it’s also reportedly considering another price hike for Game Pass Ultimate. These are “only considerations”, but they could determine future Call of Duty titles on “most versions” of Game Pass. The latter potentially indicates that it won’t arrive on Xbox Game Pass Core, like Diablo 4.
Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase is on June 9th, where it’s rumored to reveal the next Call of Duty (allegedly Call of Duty Black Ops: Gulf War from Treyarch). Stay tuned for more updates in the meantime.