One of the biggest selling points of Xbox Game Pass has always been the ability to play new releases on day one at no extra cost. That advantage became even more attractive after Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, bringing Call of Duty to the subscription service. However, following the recent restructuring of Game Pass and significant price hikes, things have changed dramatically.
There’s bad news for Call of Duty fans: upcoming titles in the franchise, including Black Ops 7, will be exclusive to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for at least one year. This means they will not appear on the Premium tier during their peak launch window, and they will remain unavailable on the cheaper Essential tier entirely.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: The Only Way to Play Call of Duty at Launch
Microsoft confirmed that Xbox Game Pass Premium, the mid-tier subscription, will no longer receive day-one releases. That benefit is now locked to Ultimate. While most Xbox first-party games will eventually land on Premium within 12 months, Call of Duty is the exception.
In other words, the only way to play new Call of Duty entries on Game Pass at launch will be through the $29.99 USD / $449 MXN Ultimate plan—a subscription that recently saw a 50% price increase.
This move is clearly designed to push Ultimate subscriptions when a new shooter hits the market. While the value proposition may still appeal to some—purchasing the game outright costs more than double—the long-term math of paying multiple months of Ultimate is far less consumer-friendly.
Why Waiting Doesn’t Work for Call of Duty
Waiting a year isn’t a great option either. Call of Duty releases follow an annual cycle, and the multiplayer community often migrates to the next installment. That means by the time a game reaches Premium, its online scene may already feel outdated.
Fan Backlash and #CancelGamePass
Unsurprisingly, fans aren’t happy. The changes sparked a wave of backlash across forums and social media, leading to the creation of the #CancelGamePass campaign. Players argue that Ultimate is too expensive and offers benefits no one asked for.
Frustrated users flooded Xbox’s support site with cancellation requests, even causing technical issues due to high traffic. Reports suggest that hundreds of players dropped their subscriptions in protest of the price hikes and restrictions.
Microsoft may have secured Call of Duty as a selling point for Game Pass, but locking it behind the priciest tier has left many questioning whether the service is still worth it.
