Microsoft closed its deal for Activision-Blizzard a couple of years ago, and Xbox Game Pass users have reaped many benefits since.
Call of Duty is now officially part of the Xbox Game Pass line-up, fulfilling promises Microsoft made to both fans and regulators as an example of its pro-consumer commitment to the merger. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $19.99 per month, and nets you day one access to all new Activision, Bethesda, and Xbox Games Studios titles. However, some fans aren’t satisfied.
Why? Microsoft previously implied that the plan was to bring all Activision-Blizzard titles to Xbox Game Pass — depending on how you interpret the comments. Either way, they were ambiguous enough to have set lots of expectations about the potential here, and so far, we’ve only really had a drip feed of content here and there, rather than a full flood.
So, what games are missing, what exactly did Xbox say about it, and why has it been so slow? Let’s analyse what we know.
What did Microsoft say about Activision games coming to Game Pass?
Microsoft itself raised expectations around Activision titles coming to Xbox Game Pass. In a 2022 blog post penned by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, the firm positioned the Activision-Blizzard-King acquisition as one that would improve access to Activision’s rather pricey back catalog, citing games like Diablo, Call of Duty, and Overwatch.
“Subscription services like Game Pass make gaming more affordable and help players from all over the world find their next favorite game. Game Pass empowers developers to bring more games to more players, not fewer. We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass and to grow those gaming communities.”
Microsoft reiterated this commitment in a 2024 blog post when it dropped Diablo IV into Game Pass, stating, “There will be even more to play as we begin to fulfill our commitment to offer Activision and Blizzard games with Game Pass, both new releases and classic games from its legendary catalog. We’re excited to bring more of the biggest games to our 34M XGP subscribers.”
Since then, Microsoft has added a decent offering of titles from Activision and Blizzard. We have the classic Warcraft and StarCraft games, Diablo III and IV, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Tony Hawk titles. There’s also four Call of Duty titles in the service, and perks for free-to-play titles like Overwatch 2, CoD: Warzone, and Heroes of the Storm. The acquisition also solved long-standing publishing issues for titles like Hexen, freeing them up to finally get ports to modern platforms.
But, the offering truly pales in comparison to Activision’s full back catalog, as you can see below.
The list of missing Microsoft-owned games is extensive
As compiled by X user Crusader3456, the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is incredibly large, and yet still isn’t truly exhaustive. Activision’s extensive back catalog runs all the way back to the 80s, and many of those retro titles have been making their way across to cloud-based platform Antstream Arcade, included free via Xbox Game Pass as part of an app called Xbox Retro Classics. This list mainly covers Xbox 360 games and up.
The list also includes some titles from Bethesda and Microsoft itself that never made their way across, although many are still being compiled. If there’s a game you’re particularly interested in seeing make the list, hit the comments.
|
Title |
Developer |
Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| [PROTOTYPE] |
Radical Entertainment |
Activision |
| [PROTOTYPE2] |
Radical Entertainment |
Activision |
|
007: Blood Stone |
Bizarre Creations + High Moon Studios |
Activision |
|
007: Legends |
Eurocom |
Activision |
|
007: Quantum of Solace |
Treyarch + Nerve Software + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Aces of the Galaxy |
Artech Studios |
Sierra Online |
|
Apache: Air Assault |
Gaijin Entertainment |
Activision |
|
Arkadian Warriors |
Wanako Games |
Vivendi Games |
|
Assault Heroes 2 |
Wanako Games |
Sierra Online |
|
Bakugan: Defenders of the Core |
Now Production |
Activision |
|
Band Hero |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Battlestar Galactica |
Warthog Games |
Universal Interactive |
|
Bee Movie Game |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
Blade II |
Mucky foot Productions |
Activision |
|
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space |
Artoon |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Blood Drive |
Sidhe |
Activision |
|
Blood Wake |
Stormfront Studios |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Blur |
Bizarre Creations |
Activision |
|
Brink |
Splash Damage |
Bethesda Softworks |
|
Brute Force |
Digital Anvil |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds |
Eurocom |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth |
Headfirst Productions |
Bethesda Softworks |
|
Call of Duty (Classic) |
Infinity Ward + Aspyr |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty 2 |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty 3 |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare |
Sledgehammer Games |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops II |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops III |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Finest Hour |
Spark Unlimited |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Ghosts |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Remastered |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Campaign Remastered |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) |
Infinity Ward |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: United Offensive |
Gray Matter Studios |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: Vanguard |
Sledgehammer Games |
Activision |
|
Call of Duty: World at War |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Carcassonne |
Siera Online |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
Commanders: Attack of the Genos |
Southend Interactive |
Sierra Online |
|
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex |
Traveller’s Tales |
Universal Interactive |
|
Crash Nitro Kart |
Vicarious Visions |
Universal Interactive |
|
Crash of the Titans |
Radical Entertainment |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
Crash Twinsanity |
Traveller’s Tales |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
Crash: Mind over Mutant |
Radical Entertainment |
Activision |
|
Deadpool |
High Moon Studios |
Activision |
|
DJ Hero |
Freestyle Games |
Activision |
|
DJ Hero 2 |
Freestyle Games |
Activision |
|
Doom (2016) |
id Software |
Bethesda Softworks |
|
Elder Scrolls Online |
Zenimax Online Software |
Bethesda Softworks |
|
Empires: Dawn of the Modern World |
Stainless Stell Studios |
Activision |
|
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars |
Splash Damage |
Activision |
|
Eragon |
Stormfront Studios |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon |
Monolith Productions |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
Fantastic Four (2005) |
7 Studios + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Fast & Furious: Showdown |
Firebrand Games |
Activision |
|
Freelancer |
Digital Anvil |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Ghostbusters (2016) |
FireForge |
Activision |
|
GoldenEye 007: Reloaded |
Eurocom |
Activision |
|
Greg Hastings’ Tournament Paintball MAX’D |
The Whole Experience |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero II |
Harmonix |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero Live |
Freestyle Games |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero Smash Hits |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero: Metallica |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero: Van Halen |
Underground Development |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Guitar Hero: World Tour |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Gun |
SuperVillain Studios + Nversoft + Shaba Games |
Activision |
|
History Civil War: Secret Missions |
Cauldron HQ |
Activision |
|
How to Train Your Dragon |
Étranges Libellules |
Activision |
|
Hulk (2003) |
Radical Entertainment |
Universal Interactive |
|
Hunted: The Demon’s Forge |
inXile Entertainment |
Bethesda Softworks |
|
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs |
Eurocom |
Activision |
|
James Cameron’s Dark Angel |
Radical Entertainment |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis |
Blue Tongue Entertainment |
Universal Interactive |
|
Jurassic: The Hunted |
Cauldron HQ |
Activision |
|
Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal |
Dream Publishing |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Kung Fu Chaos |
Ninja Theory |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Kung Fu Panda |
Luxoflux + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Event |
Adrenium Games |
Activision |
|
Lost Cities |
Siera Online |
Sierra Online |
|
Madagascar |
Toys for Bob + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa |
Toys for Bob + Aspyr |
Activision |
|
Madagascar: Kartz |
Sidhe |
Activision |
|
Marvel Ultimate Alliance |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 |
Vicarious Visions + Zoe Mode |
Activision |
|
MechAssault |
Day 1 Studios |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf |
Day 1 Studios |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System |
Swingin’ Ape Studios |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
MIB: Alien Crisis |
Fun Labs |
Activision |
|
Monsters vs. Aliens |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
N3: Ninety-Nine Nights |
Phantagram + Q Entertainment |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Over the Hedge |
Edge of Reality + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Phantom Dust |
Microsoft Game Studios Japan |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Pitfall: The Lost Expedition |
Edge of Reality + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Project Gotham Racing |
Bizarre Creations |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Project Gotham Racing 2 |
Bizarre Creations |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Project Gotham Racing 3 |
Bizarre Creations |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Project Gotham Racing 4 |
bizarre Creations |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Quake 4 |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends |
Big Huge Games |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy |
High Moon Studios |
Vivendi Games |
|
Scarface: The World Is Yours |
Radical Entertainment |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice |
FromSoftware |
Activision |
|
Shark Tale |
Edge of Reality + KnowWonder |
Activision |
|
Shrek 2 |
Luxoflux + KnowWonder |
Activision |
|
Shrek Super Slam |
Shaba Games |
Activision |
|
Shrek the Third |
Amaze Entertainment |
Activision |
|
Singularity |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Skylanders: Giants |
Toys for Bob |
Activision |
|
Skylanders: Imaginators |
Toys for Bob + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure |
Toys for Bob |
Activision |
|
Skylanders: SuperChargers |
Toys for Bob + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Skylanders: Swap Force |
Toys for Bob |
Activision |
|
Skylanders: Trap Team |
Toys for Bob + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Soldier of Fortune |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Soldier of Fortune: Payback |
Cauldron HQ |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man (2002) |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man 2 (2004) |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man 3 (2007) |
Treyarch + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man: Edge of Time |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe |
Next Level Games |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows |
Treyarch + Shaba Games + Aspyr |
Activision |
|
SpongeBob HeroPants |
Behaviour Santiago |
Activision |
|
SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton’s Robotic Revenge |
Behavior Entertainment |
Activision |
|
Spyro: A Hero’s Tail |
Eurocom |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
SWAT: Global Strike Team |
Argonaut Games |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus |
Studio Gigante |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze |
WayForward Technologies |
Activision |
|
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan |
Platinum Games |
Activision |
|
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows |
Red Fly Studio |
Activision |
|
Tenchu Z |
K2 + FromSoftware |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Tenchu: Return from Darkness |
K2 + Prosoft |
Activision |
|
The Amazing Spider-Man |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 |
Beenox |
Activision |
|
The History Channel: Battle for the Pacific |
Cauldron HQ |
Activision |
|
The History Channel: Civil War – A Nation Divided |
Cauldron HQ |
Activision |
|
The Hobbit (2003) |
Inevitable Entertainment |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
The Legend of Korra |
Platinum Games |
Activision |
|
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning |
Krome Studios |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring |
WXP + Surreal Software |
Black Label Games |
|
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring |
Liquid Entertainment |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy’s Grand Adventure |
Behaviour Santiago |
Activision |
|
The Simpsons: Hit & Run |
Radical Entertainment |
Vivendi Universal Games |
|
The Spiderwick Chronicles |
Stormfront Studios |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct |
Terminal Reality |
Activision |
|
TimeShift |
SaberInteractive |
Sierra Entertainment |
|
Tony Hawk: Ride |
Robomodo |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk: Shred |
Robomodo |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 |
Vicarious Visions |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 |
Robomodo |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s Project 8 |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s Underground |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 |
Neversoft |
Activision |
|
Transformers: Dark of the Moon |
High Moon Studios |
Activision |
|
Transformers: Devastation |
Platinum Games |
Activision |
|
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron |
High Moon Studios |
Activision |
|
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen |
Luxoflux |
Activision |
|
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark |
Edge of Reality |
Activision |
|
Transformers: The Game |
Traveller’s Tales |
Activision |
|
Transformers: War for Cybertron |
High Moon Studios |
Activision |
|
True Crime: New York City |
Luxoflux |
Activision |
|
True Crime: Streets of LA |
Luxoflux |
Activision |
|
Ultimate Spider-Man |
Treyarch |
Activision |
|
Wet |
Artifical Mind and Movement |
Bethesda Softworks |
|
White Night |
OSome Studio |
Activision |
|
Wipeout 3 (2012) |
Behavior Entertainment |
Activision |
|
Wolfenstein (2009) |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory |
Splash Damage |
Activision |
|
X-Men Legends |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Uncaged Edition |
Raven Software |
Activision |
|
X-Men: Destiny |
Silicon Knights |
Activision |
|
X-Men: Next Dimension |
Paradox Development |
Activision |
|
X-Men: The Official Game |
Z- Axiz + Beenox |
Activision |
|
Zombie Wranglers |
Frozen Coebase |
Sierra Online |
|
Zoo Tycoon (2001) |
Blue Fang Games |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
Zoo Tycoon 2 |
Blue Fang Games |
Microsoft Game Studios |
|
James Bond 007: Blood Stone |
Bizarre Creations |
Activision |
Hit the link above to expand to the full table, or head here for a deeper breakdown on Google Sheets. Many aren’t on there likely due to licensing issues around Xbox backwards compatibility. Microsoft previously noted that it had exhausted all of its legal options for certain games, owing to a plurality of legal issues stemming from expired sound effects licenses to rights holders being uncontactable.
But … there are also plenty on the list that are available on Xbox backwards compatibility, circumventing licensing issues, that are also unavailable on Xbox Game Pass.
Microsoft said it wanted to put Activision’s “much loved library of games” onto Xbox Game Pass, so why hasn’t it happened yet?
So … why aren’t they there yet?
Just this past weekend, former Bethesda exec Pete Hines attacked Xbox Game Pass, drawing attention to its retail sales cannibalization. Other game industry alumni chimed in, including former PlayStation exec Shawn Layden and Xbox veteran Shannon Loftis, essentially calling attention to the idea that Xbox Game Pass results in less investment for first-party developers who are forced by Microsoft to participate in the program.
Microsoft sources previously told me that Xbox Game Pass accounts for sales cannibalization using an equation and then charges the business back to studios, although it does seem as though there is a very delicate balancing act Microsoft is running up against to make Xbox Game Pass work.
For example, Microsoft moved the “day one games” promise from the cheaper $12.99 tier into the highest $19.99 Xbox Game Pass tier last year, ahead of Call of Duty’s inclusion. Call of Duty is a very, very expensive game to make and maintain, and any disruption to the business model therein could threaten the entire franchise — particularly as Battlefield 6 looks increasingly hot this year. That’s probably why we haven’t seen World of Warcraft or Elder Scrolls Online hit Xbox Game Pass, given that both (more so WoW than ESO), rely on in-game subscription services to power their business models.
Speaking of Call of Duty, Microsoft is probably cognizant of the fact that many Call of Duty players would probably migrate to classic Call of Duty titles if they were more broadly available. The older CoD games do not monetize as strongly as the newer ones, owing to fewer skins and things like that. Ironically, Activision’s insistence on goofy skins has led to a huge backlash against the game, forcing them to quite literally publicly commit to keeping things more grounded in the future.
Other older games not showing up, such as MechAssault, are simply the result of complex and outdated legal agreements between rights holders. Microsoft owns the full rights to license video games based on the BattleTech / MechAssault / MechWarrior tabletop universe, but it doesn’t own the full rights to the franchises wholesale, making re-publishing older entries a little legally murky. Microsoft errs on the side of caution with regards to things like this, given that it’s often such a huge target for opportunistic litigators.
But, more broadly, the real reason Microsoft hasn’t simply flooded Xbox Game Pass with Activision’s back catalog is, again, likely due to cannibalization. If Microsoft aggressively dumped 30+ old Activision titles into Xbox Game Pass, it threatens the engagement bonuses third-party developers in the program get to enjoy. Keeping third-party developers happy, particularly indies who use Xbox Game Pass royalties as part of their business models, is a delicate balancing act. It perhaps wouldn’t be as much of an issue if Xbox Game Pass was seeing significant growth, but there’s no evidence that it is right now.
Indeed, given that Xbox Game Pass isn’t really growing (particularly so on console), Microsoft has to be pretty careful how it manages what games are available. It could be argued that they’re potentially being too conservative, and that adding more nostalgic games like the original Xbox 360 back compat Call of Duty games could drive more interest in the Xbox platform all up — but it’s hard to know what impact it might have if they went further.
Finding new users for Xbox Game Pass is what has been driving Microsoft to expand with Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and devices like the Xbox Ally … but it’s pretty telling that they haven’t shared any new Game Pass milestones since February 2024.
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