Modern Warfare 4 will not be on Xbox Game Pass at launch. Microsoft announced new Call of Duty titles won’t enter the service until at least a year after release — and an alleged ad now markets that absence as a reason to pre-order.
- An alleged Facebook ad for Modern Warfare 4, shared by Resetera user CloseTalker, states the game is ‘not on Xbox Game Pass this year’ and is not confirmed as authentic by Microsoft or Activision.
- Microsoft announced earlier this year that new Call of Duty titles won’t enter Game Pass until at least a year after release, reversing the day-one approach.
- Bloomberg reported day-one Game Pass inclusion cost Xbox ‘more than $300 million in sales’ of Call of Duty last year.
- Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in 2023.
- Black Ops 7 was the fifth best-selling game of the year in the US — the lowest a Call of Duty has placed in nearly 20 years.
Microsoft spent $68.7 billion to put Call of Duty on Game Pass — and an alleged advert for this year’s Modern Warfare 4 now uses the game’s absence from the service as a selling point. The ad, surfaced by a Resetera user, leans on the line that the title is “not on Xbox Game Pass this year” to push pre-orders, which is a remarkable inversion for a company that fought regulators for years over Call of Duty’s future. For UAE players who keep a Game Pass subscription mainly for day-one Call of Duty, it means buying Modern Warfare 4 outright at launch.
As reported by Video Games Chronicle, the ad was shared by Resetera user CloseTalker, who says it appeared on their Facebook feed promoting the series’ now-annual early campaign access for pre-orders. The screenshot has not been confirmed as authentic by Microsoft or Activision Blizzard, so treat it as alleged. What is confirmed is the policy behind it: earlier this year, alongside news that it was cutting Game Pass prices, Microsoft said new Call of Duty titles “wouldn’t enter the service until at least a year after they were released.”
Is Modern Warfare 4 on Xbox Game Pass?
No — not at launch. Following Microsoft’s policy shift on day-one Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 4 sits outside Game Pass on release, and the alleged ad spells that out in large lettering. It reverses the approach used for recent Call of Duty launches, where the latest entry landed on the service the day it shipped. If you want it on release day, you pay for it.
What the pre-order ad is pushing
The ad is built around the series’ annual hook: early access to the campaign for anyone who pre-orders. That is the carrot. The unusual part is the framing — instead of burying the Game Pass status, the marketing puts it front and centre, treating “not on Game Pass” as a reason to commit.
Why Microsoft pulled Call of Duty from day-one Game Pass
The short answer is money. When Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, putting Call of Duty into Game Pass was meant to drive new sign-ups — but the inclusion reportedly cost it in premium sales.
According to a Bloomberg report, last year’s Game Pass price rises were partly down to lost Call of Duty sales. Bloomberg’s sources say Xbox gave up “more than $300 million in sales” of Call of Duty on consoles and PCs last year, because players were using Game Pass instead of buying the game outright. That is the figure that reframes the whole strategy.
How Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 set this up
2024’s Call of Duty entry, Black Ops 6, was the first to launch day-and-date on Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft called it the biggest Call of Duty launch ever by player count, but the game saw a sharper post-launch decline than usual — strong numbers up front, weaker staying power.
The following year painted a starker picture. In the US, Black Ops 7 was the fifth best-selling game of the year, the lowest a Call of Duty has placed in nearly 20 years. Set against the $300 million figure, the day-one Game Pass experiment looks less like a growth engine and more like a trade Microsoft decided it could no longer afford.
| Title | Day-one Game Pass |
|---|---|
| Black Ops 6 (2024) | Yes — first CoD on day one |
| Black Ops 7 | Launched on the service |
| Modern Warfare 4 | No — not until at least a year post-launch |
What it means for UAE and GCC players
If you subscribe to Game Pass largely for instant Call of Duty access, that perk is gone for Modern Warfare 4 at launch. You will need to buy the game separately to play it on release day, the same as any other premium release. The source does not give a UAE release date, regional pricing or local retailer details, so those remain unconfirmed here.
The wider point is the one the ad accidentally makes loudest. A company that paid $68.7 billion partly to anchor Game Pass with Call of Duty is now selling the franchise on the basis that it is not on Game Pass. Whether that is messy communication or a deliberate signal that the premium model still pays better, it is a clear read on where Microsoft thinks the bigger cheque sits.
FAQ
Is Modern Warfare 4 coming to Xbox Game Pass?
Not at launch. Microsoft announced that new Call of Duty titles won’t enter Xbox Game Pass until at least a year after release, and an alleged ad for Modern Warfare 4 states the game is ‘not on Xbox Game Pass this year.’
Why did Microsoft remove Call of Duty from day-one Game Pass?
According to Bloomberg, including Black Ops 6 on Game Pass at launch cost Xbox more than $300 million in lost premium sales last year, and the game saw a sharper post-launch decline than usual. Microsoft then announced new CoD titles would not enter Game Pass until at least a year post-launch.
What is the Modern Warfare 4 pre-order bonus?
The alleged ad promotes early access to the game’s campaign for those who pre-order, continuing the Call of Duty series’ annual tradition.
How much did Microsoft pay for Activision Blizzard?
Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, the parent company of Call of Duty, for $68.7 billion in 2023, after a years-long legal battle with regulators over the franchise’s future availability.