Xbox Chief and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has confirmed that there won’t be any Activision Blizzard games added to Xbox Game Pass in the near future. During the latest official Xbox podcast, Spencer clarified that there won’t be a significant release of Activision Blizzard games into Xbox Game Pass in the upcoming weeks and that we shouldn’t expect any until 2024.
Spencer explained,
“The regulatory process took so long… that we weren’t able to get in and work with the Activision Blizzard on that back catalog work. Now that the deal is closed, we’re starting that work, but there is work. I think the Activision Twitter handle… did put out something that talked about 2024, and I think that’s accurate. I would love it if there was some kind of secret celebration drop that’s coming in the next couple of weeks — there’s not.”
Before Microsoft’s acquisition, Activision Blizzard stated on social media that Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV wouldn’t be coming to Xbox Game Pass in the current year. However, the status of older Activision Blizzard titles remained uncertain until Phil Spencer’s recent clarification.
Spencer acknowledged, “I understand there may be disappointment regarding this. The acquisition is a long-term commitment, and the delay in adding games to Game Pass on day one is a bit disappointing, but I’m very enthusiastic about the future. I want to be transparent with everyone about where we currently stand.”
Many Xbox fans had expected Microsoft to swiftly include older Call of Duty games in Xbox Game Pass following the acquisition. Some of this anticipation was based on the way Microsoft promptly added 20 Bethesda games to Game Pass just two days after that acquisition was finalized. However, this expectation was later clarified as a misinterpretation of the facts.
The integration of Activision Blizzard games into Xbox Game Pass will require some time and effort, and regulatory uncertainties likely compelled Microsoft to delay the release of these games. Xbox enthusiasts are now hopeful that Microsoft is taking the time to prepare a surprise backward compatibility update to make some older Activision classics available on modern hardware.