With Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, many gamers are left confused, wondering if a Call of Duty MW3 Game Pass release is possible or not. While the future of the Call of Duty franchise under Microsoft is still yet to be fully revealed, we do have MW3 Game Pass details to dig into. So, if you’re hoping you can dive in on Xbox Game Pass now that Activision is under Microsoft, we’ve got all the information you need to know.
Call of Duty MW3 builds upon many of the successes and shortcomings of the previous entry to make one of the best FPS games out there. This means many fans looking to hop in for free are hoping for a Modern Warfare 3 Game Pass release to sweeten the deal. Millions of players are already mastering the MW3 meta and enjoying the new Zombies experience, so when could Game Pass subscribers join them?
Is Call of Duty MW3 on Game Pass?
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is not on Game Pass right now, though there’s a good chance it could arrive in late 2024. This is due to Activision having an existing marketing agreement with PlayStation, which was revealed during the FTC vs. Microsoft court case.
Speaking on the official Xbox Podcast on October 17, 2023, Xbox head Phil Spencer confirmed that regulatory hurdles have prevented Activision Blizzard games from swiftly appearing on Game Pass, as was the case with Bethesda’s catalog following that previous acquisition.
With that being said, Spencer also supported a tweet made on October 9 by the Activision Blizzard account which states that “while we do not have plans to put Modern Warfare 3 or Diablo 4 into Game Pass this year […] we anticipate that we would begin adding games into Game Pass sometime in the course of next year.” This hints at a potential 2024 drop for both titles.
As reported by The Verge’s Tom Warren, the CMA revealed that new Call of Duty games would not be arriving on the platform until 2025. However, a poorly redacted document from the FTC vs. Microsoft case revealed that Sony’s deal with Activision Blizzard expires in 2024, and doesn’t apply to the 2024 CoD game. As such, there’s a very good chance that (unlike MW3) 2024’s game could actually come to Game Pass on day one, though there could be technicalities complicating this, hence the CMA’s insistence on 2025 being the magic number.
As for when can we actually expect MW3 Game Pass to materialize, should the PlayStation exclusivity deal expire when CoD 2024 arrives (most likely in November 2024 as is tradition), then there’s every chance that Xbox will add MW3 to Game Pass before the end of 2024. But, should the deal extend until the end of the calendar year, or the CMA’s statement come true, then there’s every chance we won’t see it on Game Pass until the beginning of 2025.
For avid Game Pass enthusiasts enjoying its benefits on console and PC, this is no doubt unfortunate news. When this acquisition first began, many speculated that Call of Duty, and subsequently MW3 would be included in the Game Pass library right away. However, you will have to purchase the game separately if you’re looking to play it right now.
Even if it was contractually allowed, featuring on Game Pass would likely have had a substantial impact on the launch of MW3, seeing Game Pass subscribers able to jump in at no extra cost right away. Nevertheless, Call of Duty has always been an incredibly successful series, with even the weaker entries making massive profits. So, even without a MW3 Game Pass release, MW3 has had a strong launch, in large part due to the excellent MW3 multiplayer experience, as our MW3 review notes.
And there you have it, all the MW3 Game Pass details you need to know. Whether you’re buying it outright and jumping in now or patiently waiting, it’s worth being in tune with the best MW3 guns and best MW3 loadouts to know what to use. Likewise, keep an eye out for PS5 deals and Xbox deals to secure a bargain on some of the best PS5 accessories and Xbox accessories out there to make your MW3 experience that much better.