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Xbox Game Pass subscribers might soon have to purchase the next Call of Duty outright, mirroring the experience of PlayStation 5 owners. According to recent comments from Windows Central reporter Jez Corden, Microsoft is actively re-evaluating its strategy of launching the blockbuster first-person shooter on its subscription service on day one. During a recent livestream, Corden noted that removing the franchise from the service this year is a distinct possibility, a move that would expose underlying cracks in Microsoft's aggressive subscription model.
The financial toll of offering premium titles at launch has been staggering for the tech giant. Industry estimates suggest Microsoft absorbed a massive $300 million hit by including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in Game Pass, while traditional retail sales for the most recent entry plummeted to a 17-year low. By cannibalizing its own software sales, the company placed immense pressure on the subscription service to generate enough recurring revenue to offset the massive development and licensing costs associated with the franchise.
This rumored pivot highlights a stark contrast with Sony's approach to the current console generation. The Japanese manufacturer has consistently resisted putting its major first-party games on PS Plus on day one, repeatedly calling the model financially unsustainable. Meanwhile, Xbox implemented a staggering 50% price hike to Game Pass last October, pushing its flagship Ultimate tier to an eye-watering $29.99 per month, though a price reduction seems highly unlikely even if Call of Duty is removed.
The End of the Day-One Dream?
If Microsoft actually pulls Call of Duty from Game Pass, it will mark a fundamental shift in the modern gaming landscape. The $29.99 monthly Ultimate tier was largely justified by the promise of massive day-one drops, and removing the biggest annual release in the industry severely undercuts that value proposition. This potential reversal validates Sony's long-held stance that AAA game budgets simply cannot be sustained by subscription revenue alone.
For Xbox players, this means the era of heavily subsidized blockbuster gaming may be coming to an abrupt end. If the math no longer makes sense for Microsoft's biggest franchise, it is highly likely that other major first-party titles will face similar scrutiny. Consumers should prepare for a return to the traditional $70 retail model for major releases, fundamentally altering the perceived value of the Xbox ecosystem.
