Call of Duty Classics Spark Speculation for Xbox Game Pass After Appearance on Microsoft Store

Call of Duty fans are buzzing with speculation that classic titles like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) could soon be added to Xbox Game Pass after appearing on the Microsoft Store for PC. Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard in 2023, many fans hoped to see the extensive Call of Duty library arrive on Xbox’s Game Pass subscription service.
While there has been no official confirmation from Activision or Microsoft about bringing older Call of Duty games to Game Pass, the companies did quickly add the latest title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, to the service. The game launched on day one for both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, offering subscribers access to the full campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies mode at no extra cost. The only other Call of Duty game available on Game Pass is Modern Warfare 3 (2023), which joined the service in July, 8 months after its release.
On December 9, however, Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare were spotted on the Microsoft Store for PC, adding fuel to the fire of speculation that these classic titles may soon be coming to Game Pass. The addition came without any prior announcement from Microsoft or Activision, prompting fans to wonder if the two companies are preparing to release these older titles on the service. While some are hopeful, others have raised concerns about the potential security issues that many older Call of Duty games have, which may need to be addressed before their inclusion on Game Pass.
The idea of classic Call of Duty titles on Game Pass has been high on fans’ wishlists since Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard was finalized in October 2023. Over a year later, however, there has been no official word from either studio about adding these beloved games to the platform. That said, Activision has been steadily adding other titles to Game Pass, including the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and Diablo 4. Fans also continue to hope for the inclusion of other Activision franchises, such as the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series.
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One reason behind the hesitation to add older Call of Duty games to Game Pass could be the potential impact on the latest entries in the series. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been a major success for both Activision and Microsoft, reportedly setting a record for day one players and Game Pass subscribers. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called it "the biggest Call of Duty release ever," making it clear that the latest entry has brought in a huge player base.