When the first reports about Microsoft buying Activision-Blizzard came to light, many immediately thought about having Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass. However, it seems that was intended to happen a few years after the acquisition had been completed.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has significantly affected Microsoft's plans to acquire Activision Blizzard. The CMA recently blocked the acquisition in the UK, citing cloud gaming as the main reason. Had the buyout been approved, one big benefit of Activision becoming a Microsoft-owned company would have been the inclusion of the Call of Duty titles on Xbox Game Pass, giving players access to one of the most popular franchises in history for a monthly fee.

The UK CMA's final report on the Microsoft deal revealed that Call of Duty wasn't going to be on Game Pass till at least 2025 pic.twitter.com/Iu3Gsg4wfa

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) May 1, 2023

However, a CMA report (via CharlieIntel) indicated that Call of Duty wouldn't be available on Xbox Game Pass until 2025. Although the CMA report notes that the benefits of the acquisition would start to accrue within a reasonable period, it's unclear where this 2025 release window comes from. If true, this means that even if the acquisition goes through, it would still be a couple of years before Call of Duty fans would have reaped the benefits of Game Pass.

Microsoft has announced it will appeal the CMA's decision, but it's uncertain whether this will result in a different outcome. Regardless of the result, Microsoft has confirmed that Activision titles will end up on Game Pass if the merger is approved.

KitGuru says: Sony still has a marketing deal in place for Call of Duty, which would have slowed down the introduction of COD to Game Pass, as Microsoft would have fulfilled all remaining contracts. 

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