Microsoft plans to release the coming installment of the "Call of Duty" videogame to its subscription service, in a departure from its longtime practice of only selling the title independently, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The move is expected to be announced at the company's annual
Xbox showcase, scheduled for June 9, the person said on the condition of
anonymity as the plans are private.
Microsoft did not immediately respond to a Reuters request
for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Friday.
Microsoft acquired "Call of Duty" through its
buyout of Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal, which closed late last
year.
The first-person shooter video-game is among the most
successful entertainment properties and has generated more than $30 billion in
lifetime revenue.
Activision has long released new editions of the game
annually priced at around $70 each in recent years.
The development comes just days after Xbox President Sarah
Bond said in a conference the company plans to release all first-party Xbox
games on Game Pass on the day of their launch.
Microsoft manages a subscription service called Game Pass,
which offers access to games from Xbox and other developers for a fee.
The Redmond, Washington-based company has tried to build out
the Netflix-style game subscription services aggressively in recent years as
part of its efforts to break the dominance of PlayStation consoles made by
Japanese rival Sony Corp.
Microsoft said in February Game Pass had 34 million
subscribers, up from the 25 million it reported in 2022.
Analysts said the launch of "Call of Duty" — a
franchise with a large and loyal fan base — would help draw more people to Game
Pass but could affect the overall sales generated by the title.
"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III", released in
November 2023, is the second-best selling game so far this year. It trails
Sony's "Helldivers II", according to industry tracker Circana. -Reuters