The rumors turned out to be true. Xbox has announced that Call of Duty will no longer release on Day One for Xbox Game Pass.
On Tuesday, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma took to social media and Xbox Wire to make the announcement.
“Beginning this year, future Call of Duty titles won’t join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch,” Xbox said. “New Call of Duty games will be added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass during the following holiday season (about a year later), while existing Call of Duty titles already in the library will continue to be available.”
The decision ends a two-year run of Call of Duty releasing for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on launch. It also comes as Microsoft announced a price cut for Game Pass Ultimate.
Rumors of Xbox removing the game from the service started to pick up steam earlier this month after a report from Jez Corden during an episode of The Xbox 2 Podcast.
“If they take Call of Duty out of Game Pass this year, which is a possibility from what I’ve heard. I think it’ll kind of reveal some of the cracks in the strategy, possibly, but I don’t know,” Corden said at the time.
What do you think of Call of Duty no longer releasing day and date on Xbox Game Pass? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and in this official Insider Gaming Discord.
In other news, read about Ubisoft cancelling its Animal Crossing-inspired voxel game Alterra. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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