Call Of Duty, Overwatch, And Diablo Will Come To Game Pass, Says Phil Spencer

In a new blog post, Xbox head Phil Spencer discussed Microsoft’s intentions for Activision Blizzard’s IPs following its ongoing acquisition of the company. Among those plans, naturally, is to bolster the value of Xbox Game Pass by adding Activision Blizzard’s library of titles, including Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Diablo.

Spencer talks about expanding player choice with Game Pass. This includes offering library titles at an affordable subscription price, which is appealing to all budgets. Spencer believes that Activision Blizzard will be more attractive to potential and existing subscribers. 

We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass and to grow those gaming communities. We hope to deliver more value to our players and grow Game Pass.

Spencer also reiterates Microsoft’s promise to keep popular Activision Blizzard franchises multiplatform, citing its handling of Minecraft as an example. Additionally, the company hopes to expand Activision’s portfolio to mobile platforms and make them available to play on other devices via cloud streaming. 

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is projected to be completed sometime during the summer of 2023. After that, it’s anyone’s guess as to how long it will be before we see these franchises land on Game Pass. Overwatch 2 is available in free-to play early access starting October 4. Diablo IV, on the Blizzard’s side, seems years away. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is released this October. But, it’s rumored that 2023 will not be included in the series, which means the Microsoft title won’t debut until 2024. 

[Source: Microsoft]