Phil Spencer Discusses Absence of Activision Games on Game Pass in 2023

Xbox's head Phil Spencer recently addressed the queries of many fans about the absence of Activision-Blizzard games such as Call of Duty and Diablo from Game Pass despite Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Speaking on the Official Xbox Podcast, Spencer attributed the delay to regulatory complications and logistics involved in bringing Activision-Blizzard games on Game Pass after the acquisition. He explained, "The truth of the matter is with Activision/Blizzard/King that the regulatory process took so long, and frankly there was a lot of uncertainty...we weren't able to get in and work with mostly Activision-Blizzard in this case, on that back catalog work," he said.

Despite the disappointment amongst fans expecting a sudden drop of these games on Game Pass, Spencer reassured that the games will eventually be added to Game Pass, including titles such as Diablo 4 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Reiterating Xbox's commitment to maintain "100% parity" for Call of Duty across platforms as part of a 10-year agreement with Sony, Spencer emphasized fair accessibility to all fans, regardless of their console of choice.

The Xbox-Activision Blizzard deal, worth $69 billion, faced multiple legal and regulatory battles in different countries before closing last week. This landed Xbox, owned by Phil Spencer, with prominent gaming franchises and amidst queries on their delay in appearance on Game Pass.