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Microsoft recently announced that *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* will be available on Xbox Game Pass on its release day, October 25. With this move, Microsoft likely expects a surge in Game Pass subscribers, given the popularity of the first-person shooter franchise. While bringing *Call of Duty* to Game Pass is a significant step, don’t expect other major third-party studios to follow suit. Take-Two Interactive CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has made it clear that his company has no plans to release its big-budget games on Game Pass at launch.
In an interview with *GamesIndustry.biz*, Zelnick acknowledged that adding a major title like *Call of Duty* to a subscription service could attract new users, but only temporarily. He stated that offering a premium game on a service like Game Pass at launch would drive subscribers for “at least a period of time.”
Despite this potential, Zelnick emphasized that Take-Two’s strategy remains unchanged. The company does not plan to include its upcoming titles, like *Grand Theft Auto 6*, on Game Pass. He explained that their decisions are “rational” and based on long-term business objectives.
Zelnick’s remarks followed the release of Take-Two’s first-quarter financial results, where the company reported net bookings of $1.22 billion, slightly below analyst expectations of $1.25 billion. However, Take-Two expects a significant boost in the fiscal years 2026 and 2027, driven by the highly anticipated launch of *GTA 6*, which is expected in Fall 2025.
Meanwhile, Activision is preparing for the release of *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* on October 25. Microsoft’s confirmation that this will be the first *Call of Duty* game to launch on Game Pass marks a major milestone for the service.
Shortly after this announcement, Microsoft increased the pricing for Game Pass across different tiers and regions, and introduced a new “Standard” tier, which will not include day-one releases.
