Key Takeaways
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s launch on Xbox Game Pass has boosted player interest in the title.
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed Game Pass set a new subscriber record on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s launch day.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 1 goes live on November 14.
Weeks after its official release, a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 developer says the game being included in Microsoft’s monthly Game Pass subscription service helped convince more people to try it out. Black Ops 6 is the first Call of Duty title to be available on Xbox Game Pass the same day it was released worldwide, which initially caused concerns about the game’s overall performance. However, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has proven to be a massive sales hit, even though the game is free for Game Pass subscribers.
Officially hitting store shelves on October 25, 2024, Black Ops 6 rings in the next chapter of Activision’s decades-spanning Call of Duty franchise, complete with new features, modes, and improvements. Among the more exciting additions in Black Ops 6 is the return of classic prestige as well as the arrival of several quality-of-life improvements for the game’s multiplayer and Zombies modes. However, one of Black Ops 6‘s biggest departures over previous installments is its availability, with the game being included on Xbox Game Pass from the get-go. This risky experiment seemed to pay off, with one Treyarch team member discussing the decision in a new conversation.
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In an interview with the BBC, Treyarch associate creative director Miles Leslie, a Call of Duty veteran of 16 years, said Black Ops 6‘s unique release helped entice uncertain players to give the game a shot. What we’ve seen is it’s allowed people that might have been on the fence, might have had some of that friction, might have been like, ‘I haven’t played in a while’ to actually come back and try the game,” he said. Call of Duty titles like Modern Warfare 3 have been made available on Xbox Game Pass before, but none have launched on the service the same day it was released worldwide. We’ve gotten to the point now where Black Ops and Call of Duty have been around so long – I’ve been working on it for 16 years,” Leslie added. And really the challenge for us is how do you bring along the fans that love Call of Duty, but how do you create an environment where you can welcome new fans in?
Black Ops 6 Dev Says Xbox Game Pass Helped Launch
It was an extraordinary gamble on both Treyarch and Microsoft’s part, though the bet seemed to have paid off big time. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed Game Pass set a new subscriber record on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6‘s launch day in a company earnings report. While fears over Black Ops 6‘s initial sales persisted leading up to its release, this bold strategy allowed a larger number of players to get their hands on it, likely expanding the overall player base in unprecedented ways. With Call of Duty embracing a seasonal approach similar to Fortnite and other live service games, this larger player base is key.
Treyarch has already released a new content roadmap for Black Ops 6‘s upcoming Season 1, which includes tons of new features, both for fans of the game’s multiplayer and Zombies modes. New maps, weapons, and items will soon make their way into Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, as well as the premium operator and skin bundles, something the franchise has also been embracing.
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