Xbox stressed that unexpected inclusions of games from Activision Blizzard in Game Pass this year should not be anticipated

Microsoft successfully completed its acquisition of the game publisher responsible for Call of Duty and Diablo titles last week, with the transaction amounting to a substantial $69 billion. This development follows Microsoft's earlier acquisition of Bethesda in March 2021, where numerous titles from the company were added to Game Pass just two days after the deal.

However, in an interview on the official Xbox podcast, Microsoft's Head of Gaming cautioned players not to expect similar surprise releases of games from Activision Blizzard on the subscription service in the near future. He emphasized that, unlike the previous acquisition, Microsoft couldn't undertake preparatory work to include Activision Blizzard games in Game Pass until the deal's recent approval by competition regulators.

Before the acquisition was finalized, Activision Blizzard announced plans to start adding its games to Game Pass in 2024, a statement reaffirmed by the Head of Gaming. He expressed hope that the community won't have to wait long for these additions.

While some may feel disappointed by the absence of new Activision Blizzard games on Game Pass in the immediate future, Microsoft's leadership underscored that this acquisition is viewed with a long-term perspective, filling the future with hope and inspiration.