Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard on October 13, 2023, bringing Call of Duty into the Xbox-owned gaming portfolio. The franchise, however, did not become an immediate Xbox exclusive: official materials continued to document Call of Duty releases on PlayStation and PC.
The deal changed who owns Call of Duty, how Microsoft can distribute it through Game Pass, and how regulators treated cloud-streaming rights. It did not mean that every Activision Blizzard game automatically became available on every Game Pass plan or that Microsoft gained unrestricted control of every distribution channel.
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What Microsoft’s acquisition changed
Microsoft did not purchase Call of Duty as a standalone product. It purchased Activision Blizzard, the company behind Call of Duty, and completed the transaction on October 13, 2023. Activision Blizzard became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary, placing Call of Duty inside Microsoft’s Xbox-owned gaming portfolio.
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The key qualification is that ownership did not immediately make Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive. Official platform information for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 documents releases across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. The accurate summary is: Call of Duty is now owned by Microsoft and part of the Xbox portfolio, while the franchise continues to support multiple platforms.
Did Microsoft buy Call of Duty?
In practical terms, Microsoft now controls the company that publishes and operates Call of Duty. In legal terms, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard through a merger rather than buying the franchise separately.
Microsoft’s SEC Form 8-K described the transaction’s structure: Microsoft’s wholly owned merger subsidiary merged with Activision Blizzard, with Activision Blizzard surviving as a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Eligible Activision Blizzard shareholders were entitled to receive $95 in cash per share, subject to the exceptions and conditions described in the filing.
That distinction matters because Activision Blizzard owned and managed much more than Call of Duty. Microsoft acquired a broad games portfolio, development studios, publishing operations, mobile expertise, and live-service businesses. Call of Duty became one of the most visible parts of that larger deal, not the legal subject of a separate purchase.
Why Call of Duty is part of Xbox but not Xbox-only
| Question | Accurate answer |
|---|---|
| Who owns Call of Duty? | Microsoft, through its wholly owned Activision Blizzard subsidiary. |
| Is Call of Duty an Xbox franchise? | It is part of Microsoft’s Xbox-owned gaming portfolio. |
| Did it become an Xbox exclusive when the acquisition closed? | No. Documented releases continued on PlayStation and PC. |
| Does Microsoft control every possible distribution route? | Not without qualification. Regulatory commitments, particularly in the United Kingdom, affected certain cloud-streaming rights. |
“Xbox” can refer to Microsoft’s console hardware, the Xbox brand, Xbox Game Pass, or Microsoft’s wider gaming business. Call of Duty’s inclusion in the Xbox portfolio describes ownership and strategic control; it does not automatically describe the platforms on which every game may be sold.
Microsoft can still make decisions about publishing, services, pricing, updates, and future releases. But those decisions exist alongside commercial and regulatory commitments, previous platform arrangements, and the reality that Call of Duty has a large audience on PlayStation and PC.
Which platforms received Call of Duty after the deal?
Xbox’s official materials list Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. That is direct evidence that the first major Call of Duty release following the acquisition was not converted into an Xbox-only game.
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Xbox and Call of Duty materials for Black Ops 7 likewise identify Xbox, PlayStation, and PC distribution, including Battle.net and Steam. The exact edition, platform generation, regional availability, and purchase method can vary, so a buyer should check the listing for the specific system rather than assume that one copy works everywhere.
This does not create a permanent guarantee that every future Call of Duty release will appear on every platform. It does establish the current post-acquisition model documented by Microsoft and Xbox: ownership is centralized under Microsoft, while major releases continue to be distributed broadly.
How Game Pass changed the distribution strategy
The clearest consumer-facing change after the acquisition was Microsoft’s use of Game Pass as a launch and distribution channel for Activision Blizzard games.
On May 28, 2024, Xbox announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 would be available day one with Game Pass. Xbox later listed Black Ops 7 as a day-one release for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. In this context, “day one” means that eligible subscribers can access the game through the relevant catalog when it launches; it does not mean that the subscriber owns a permanent retail copy.
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The subscription route is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, depending on the game, plan, platform, and region. Plan names, catalog inclusion, cloud availability, and regional terms can change. It is therefore inaccurate to say that every Activision Blizzard game is permanently available on every Game Pass plan.
Accessories such as an Xbox-compatible wireless controller, gaming headset, or storage expansion can be useful for console players, but none was required by the acquisition and none is necessary to explain Microsoft’s ownership of Call of Duty.
Regulatory history: why the deal took so long
The transaction faced significant scrutiny in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom. Regulators focused especially on whether Microsoft could use Activision Blizzard games to disadvantage competing consoles, subscription services, or cloud-gaming providers.
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United States
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued an administrative complaint on December 8, 2022, seeking to block the merger. The FTC argued that the combination could affect competition involving Xbox consoles, Game Pass, and cloud gaming.
On July 10, 2023, a U.S. district court denied the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction, according to the FTC’s case materials. Microsoft completed the acquisition on October 13, 2023. The FTC’s public case record identifies the matter as closed as of May 22, 2025. “Closed” describes the status of that public case record; it should not be confused with a claim that Microsoft received unrestricted control over every distribution channel worldwide.
European Union
On May 15, 2023, the European Commission approved the acquisition subject to commitments intended to address concerns about competition in cloud gaming. Those commitments were part of the approval framework and are one reason that a simple “Microsoft bought the games, so it can block every rival service” explanation is incomplete.
United Kingdom
The UK Competition and Markets Authority initially blocked the original transaction structure. Microsoft then submitted a revised arrangement on August 22, 2023, excluding specified non-European Economic Area cloud-streaming rights from the transaction structure.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe CMA subsequently allowed Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard under that revised arrangement. The remedy involved Ubisoft and limited Microsoft’s control over certain non-EEA cloud-streaming rights. In other words, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, but the UK remedy created a specific carve-out affecting cloud distribution outside the EEA.
This is a material distinction. Ownership of Activision Blizzard does not mean that Microsoft retained sole, unrestricted control of every cloud-streaming right in every territory.
Timeline of the acquisition
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 18, 2022 | Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, and the merger subsidiary entered the merger agreement referenced in Microsoft’s SEC filing. |
| December 8, 2022 | The FTC issued an administrative complaint seeking to block the transaction. |
| May 15, 2023 | The European Commission approved the acquisition subject to commitments. |
| July 10, 2023 | A U.S. district court denied the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction. |
| August 22, 2023 | Microsoft submitted a revised UK transaction structure excluding specified non-EEA cloud-streaming rights. |
| October 13, 2023 | Microsoft completed the acquisition. Activision Blizzard became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. |
| May 28, 2024 | Xbox announced day-one Game Pass access for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. |
| August 19, 2025 | Xbox documented Black Ops 7’s multi-platform release plan and Game Pass availability. |
What the acquisition means for different players
Xbox console players
Xbox players gained a clearer path to access Activision Blizzard games through Microsoft’s ecosystem, especially Game Pass. The most significant change is not that Call of Duty suddenly became exclusive, but that Microsoft can coordinate its release strategy with Xbox hardware, PC gaming, and subscription services.
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PlayStation players
PlayStation players were not immediately cut off from Call of Duty. The official platform information for Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 continued to identify PlayStation releases. That is the current documented distribution picture, although it should not be expanded into a promise about every future title or every future platform agreement.
PC players
PC players have several documented access routes, including Windows PC, Steam, and Battle.net for relevant Call of Duty releases. Game Pass can provide another route for eligible titles and plans, but the specific catalog and benefits depend on the subscription tier and territory.
Players interested in cloud gaming
Cloud access is the area where the acquisition requires the most careful wording. European and UK regulatory commitments addressed cloud-gaming competition, and the UK remedy specifically affected certain non-EEA cloud-streaming rights through an arrangement involving Ubisoft. Microsoft ownership therefore does not equal unrestricted control of all cloud distribution rights.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Microsoft gained beyond Call of Duty
The deal significantly expanded Microsoft’s gaming portfolio across several categories:
- Premium console and PC releases: Call of Duty, Diablo, and other established series.
- Live-service games: Call of Duty and Overwatch, with recurring updates and player communities.
- PC and subscription content: Major games that can support Xbox’s broader Windows and Game Pass strategy.
- Mobile gaming: Candy Crush and Activision Blizzard’s mobile business, supporting Microsoft’s stated goal of expanding across mobile, PC, console, and cloud gaming.
- Large legacy franchises: World of Warcraft, Warcraft, StarCraft, and other properties with long-running audiences.
Microsoft’s stated business rationale was to accelerate gaming across mobile, PC, console, and cloud gaming. The acquisition therefore matters even when a reader is not specifically interested in Call of Duty: it changed the scale and composition of Microsoft’s gaming business.
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The accurate headline
“Microsoft bought Call of Duty and made it Xbox-exclusive” is wrong for two reasons. Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard rather than Call of Duty by itself, and the documented releases after closing continued to support PlayStation and PC.
The defensible modern headline is: Microsoft completed its Activision Blizzard acquisition on October 13, 2023, bringing Call of Duty into the Xbox-owned gaming portfolio while maintaining broad platform distribution and operating under regulatory commitments affecting cloud rights.
Document basis: Microsoft’s acquisition announcement, SEC Form 8-K, and fiscal 2024 Form 10-K; official Xbox and Call of Duty product and Game Pass materials; the U.S. Federal Trade Commission case record; and European Commission and UK Competition and Markets Authority merger materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Microsoft buy Call of Duty directly?
No. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, the company that controlled and published Call of Duty, rather than buying Call of Duty as a separate standalone asset.
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Is Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive now?
No. Official platform materials for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 document releases on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. That does not guarantee every future release will support every platform, but it shows the franchise did not become an immediate Xbox exclusive.
Is every Activision Blizzard game included with Game Pass?
No. Xbox announced day-one Game Pass access for Black Ops 6 and later listed Black Ops 7 for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Availability depends on the specific game, subscription plan, platform, and region.
What happened to Call of Duty’s cloud-gaming rights?
The UK remedy excluded specified non-EEA cloud-streaming rights from Microsoft’s revised transaction structure and involved Ubisoft. The European Commission also approved the acquisition subject to cloud-gaming commitments.
When did Microsoft complete the Activision Blizzard acquisition?
Microsoft announced that it completed the acquisition on October 13, 2023. Activision Blizzard survived the merger as a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary.
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Bottom line: Call of Duty is now part of Microsoft’s Xbox-owned gaming portfolio because Microsoft completed its $75.4 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard on October 13, 2023. The franchise did not become an immediate Xbox exclusive: documented releases continued on PlayStation and PC, while Game Pass became a major access route and regulatory commitments limited Microsoft’s control over certain cloud-streaming rights.
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