If you're an Xbox enthusiast, you might have eagerly waited for Activision Blizzard King games to land on Xbox Game Pass. Unfortunately, you'll have to hold that excitement a bit longer. Despite Microsoft's recent acquisition of the Call of Duty creator, the gaming mogul has clarified that Activision Blizzard's games won't appear on Game Pass until 2024.
What Phil Spencer had to say
Phil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming CEO, cleared the air on an Xbox podcast. He stated that Microsoft could only make moves to get Activision Blizzard King games on Game Pass once the acquisition deal was finalised. Now that the deal is done, Microsoft is “starting the work,” according to a report by The Verge.
Future plans and further clarifications
Activision confirmed earlier that games like Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV wouldn't be part of Game Pass in 2023. The company plans to bring its titles to Game Pass “sometime in the course of [2024].”
During the podcast, Phil Spencer wished he could announce a surprise drop of games in the coming weeks but made it clear that's not happening. He acknowledged the disappointment but emphasised that Microsoft's vision for the Activision Blizzard King deal is long-term. “I'm very excited about the future. And I just want to be straight with people that that's where we are,” he added.
In terms of the acquisition, Microsoft shelled out a whopping US$68.7 billion to take over Activision Blizzard. This move has been dubbed the largest acquisition in video game history and one of the most significant in the tech industry. Microsoft owns every Activision Blizzard King game and studio as part of this mega-deal. Phil Spencer also confirmed that controversial CEO Bobby Kotick would stay on board through 2023, but his future beyond that is still uncertain.
