Activision Blizzard Reveals Xbox Game Pass Strategy, Hints at Possible Inclusion of Diablo IV on Game Pass in 2024
As Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard nears its finalization, the gaming giant has provided a sneak peek into its plans for Xbox Game Pass, announcing its intention to begin adding its games to the service next year. However, in a statement released on X/Twitter today, the company cautioned that titles such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV are not expected to join Game Pass this year.
"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," says the statement. "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 prospect of which titles will potentially join Game Pass following the deal's completion has been a significant point of discussion during Microsoft's efforts to secure approval. During the FTC trial in June, Xbox Vice President Sarah Bond highlighted that an existing agreement prevents Call of Duty from entering Game Pass until January 2025.
However, this does not rule out the possibility of games like Diablo IV becoming part of the service in the next year, alongside numerous other games published by Activision Blizzard. Microsoft's previous acquisition of Bethesda notably brought a wealth of that publisher's games into Game Pass, including titles from franchises like Doom, Elder Scrolls, and Fallout.
This news is just the latest development in the ongoing $69 billion buyout, with reports suggesting that the deal is set to conclude shortly before the agreed-upon deadline of October 18, following extensive legal proceedings involving Microsoft and Activision.
