It’s been a long time now that the Microsoft Activision Blizzard acquisition saga has been going on and the deal looks to come close in the coming days for a whopping $69 billion. The acquisition will make Call of Duty and Diablo makers an official part of Xbox, and players look to get their hands on the titles through Xbox Game Pass.
However, that doesn’t look to happen anytime soon, as Activision has said that its titles will not arrive on Game Pass in 2023 while addressing the players’ concerns. This will make the absence of Activision a little longer on Xbox’s gaming subscription service.
When Will Activision Titles Come On Game Pass?
Activision titles have long been absent on Game Pass, and it was speculated that the games could arrive as soon as the Microsoft acquisition was finalized. The deal looks to be completed this week given that the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gave the go-ahead and there were questions raised regarding the titles landing on Game Pass.
Also Read: Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Merger Finalises Next Week
The company has put all the speculations to rest as it took to X, formerly Twitter, and shared their plans as they pursue finalizing the deal. Activision stated,
It’s awesome to see anticipation building for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. As we continue to work toward regulatory approval of the Microsoft deal, we’ve been getting some questions whether our upcoming and recently launched games will be available via Game Pass.
Activision Blizzard further continued,
While we do not have plans to put Modern Warfare III or Diablo IV into Game Pass this year, once the deal closes, we expect to start working with Xbox to bring our titles to more players around the world. And we anticipate that we would begin adding games into Game Pass sometime in the course of next year.
The company stated that it doesn’t have any plans to add Modern Warfare III or Diablo IV to Game Pass this year, but it also expects to start adding the games sometime in 2024. Although it’ll be a while before players can play some amazing games from the company, it is sure that they are going to be in for a treat when these titles start arriving. The addition of its titles could also give a boost to Game Pass sales.
However, even if some “upcoming and recently launched games” do land on Game Pass, Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4 are still not coming until next year. Despite the statements of Activision Blizzard, Jez Corden from Windows Central still believes some of its titles could still arrive on Game Pass. Jez Corden stated,
Our sources indicate (surprising nobody) that despite Activision’s statement, you can expect to see a bunch of Activision stuff hit Xbox Game Pass as soon as the deal is finalized.
Microsoft and Activision have been pursuing the acquisition for a long time, and with Microsoft defeating the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in court and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) approval, the deal is likely guaranteed to get done. To get this acquisition over, Microsoft is selling its streaming rights to Activision titles to Ubisoft in the UK.
Also Read: FTC Has New Strategy to Ensure Microsoft Never Gets its Hands on Activision in $69 Billion Deal
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) initially blocked the deal, stating that the acquisition risks cloud gaming and the industry as a whole, stating “stifling competition in this growing market.” However, it changed its stance on the deal after Microsoft put forward remedies that addressed their concerns.
Nonetheless, Xbox owners are going to get some popular and critically acclaimed content on Game Pass, making the subscription much more attractive. The service already has a wide range of games for players, but nothing can top the addition of new titles.
What are your thoughts about this statement from Activision on Game Pass? What games are you looking forward to playing? Let us know in the comments!
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