It was revealed in a Charlie INTEL poll that the majority of Call of Duty fans were glad of Microsoft’s planned Activision Blizzard takeover, with 54% agreeing it’s a good thing.

The game’s industry was shocked when Microsoft announced they’re planning to buy Activision Blizzard King for almost $70 billion. This gives them exclusive rights to some of the biggest gaming franchises in the world such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch.

We asked the Call of Duty community their thoughts, and the majority were excited about the franchise’s future under Microsoft. However, some were more hesitant to celebrate the news.

54% of CoD players say Microsoft’s Activision buyout is a good thing

What's your reaction to the Microsoft buyout of Activision Blizzard? #TwitterPoll

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) January 19, 2022

Charlie INTEL conducted a poll on January 19, roughly 24 hours after the monumental news broke, asking Call of Duty fans: “What’s your reaction to the Microsoft buyout of Activision Blizzard?”

• Read more: Best Vanguard Kar98k loadout for Warzone Pacific Caldera

Over half of the 28,000 votes believed it will be a good thing. Just over 12% think it will be bad for the industry, and 33% aren’t sure yet.

Unfortunately, Microsoft’s plans for Activision’s properties are as clear as mud. They sound hopeful that Activision titles will hit Xbox Game Pass, but we’ll likely need to wait until the acquisition goes through to know more.

Why CoD players are happy with Microsoft’s Activision buyout

Several players explained why they think Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard takeover is a good thing.

• Read more: Alcatraz video shows just how accurate Warzone’s Rebirth Island really is

“For worker culture at Activision Blizzard it seems like things will likely improve,” said popular Call of Duty leaker TheGhostOfHope. “COD will likely see a much more healthy developer ecosystem as well. Microsoft being able to buy the competition like they are is a slippery slope long term though. Overall I’d say it’s good.”

For worker culture at Activision Blizzard it seems like things will likely improve. COD will likely see a much more healthy developer ecosystem as well. Microsoft being able to buy the competition like they are is a slippery slope long term though. Overall I’d say it’s good. https://t.co/cqIy2bFreT

— Hope (@TheGhostOfHope) January 19, 2022

One player was extremely positive about the acquisition, saying that “if anyone thinks this is a bad thing” then “you need to think again.” They believe that “Microsoft has come a long way and isn’t spending 70 billion to make CoD worse. It can only get better. But it will take time.”

If anyone thinks this is a bad thing.

You need to think again

Microsoft has come a long way and isn’t spending 70 billion to make CoD worse. It can only get better. But it will take time

I just hope they pull the trigger on CoD Remasters that need to be made or made public https://t.co/8zgYfhVWEG

— Brian aka Jagrawr 🐯 (@JagrawrTV) January 19, 2022

Many were hopeful that Microsoft would scrap Call of Duty’s yearly release cycle. Both Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard were released with broken and missing features, and many players believe these developers should be given much more time to perfect the game.

• Read more: How to fix Warzone’s ‘stuck on RICOCHET anti-cheat’ screen bug

“I overall see this as a good thing and can hope that xbox will stop the yearly cod cycle and fix warzone,” said one player. TangoCheeseball echoed their statement, saying they hope that Microsoft supports CoD 2022 for two years, and then Treyarch returns with a new title in 2024 or 2025.

Hoping that this is a good thing (for cod especially).

Release MWII this year.
Stop with yearly releases after MWII.
Focus primarily on MWII and Warzone for the next 2 years.
Treyarch return 2024/2025 (?).
SHG start work on their next game. https://t.co/muhdo96vDs

— Tom 😈 (@TangoCheeseball) January 19, 2022

Xbox players were obviously glad, expecting to receive exclusive content and Call of Duty on Game Pass. “I’m on Xbox so game pass bouta be blessed but not sure if it’ll be a upgrade for Cod or if it will just stay the same. Either way a positive for xbox,” said LiLbotboi.

• Read more: Vanguard’s Gold Mastery Camo has been “ruined” in Warzone

But of course, not every player was happy about the acquisition. Many had doubts over Microsoft’s monopoly over the games industry, with them already owning Bethesda, and worried that Call of Duty would go Xbox/PC exclusive.

“If they choose to make all of Activision’s future games exclusive to Xbox/PC, it’s doing a disservice to all gamers,” said Elkucuy.

This is just awful news for the industry…this could lead to a complete monopolisation of game studios. If they choose to make all of Activisions future games exclusive to Xbox/PC, its doing a disservice to all gamers. https://t.co/B61PVjTa3W

— ɴɪᴄᴏ (@EIkucuy) January 19, 2022

Newbro101_ was more open-minded, saying: “It’s way too early to tell if it’s a good thing or not, once I notice an actual change in games it’s good [I guess].”

---

There’s no way of knowing what Microsoft has in store for Call of Duty and its development teams. We can only hope the change is positive for both Activision staff and the CoD community.

However, we have some thoughts on what may change, so check out the five ways Microsoft buying Activision could change Call of Duty forever.

Image Credits: Activision Blizzard / Microsoft

The world of gaming was rocked on January 18 when Microsoft confirmed they had agreed to buy Activision Blizzard. With Xbox Studios set to add CoD’s developers to their sprawling family of game creators, we take a look at five ways Call of Duty could change forever.

It’s rare that real surprises take place in the gaming industry, but everyone was left speechless when word of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard broke on January 18. Worth close to $70 billion according to reports, it immediately becomes gaming’s biggest buyout ever.

The deal, which will close before June 2023, will see CoD developers Treyarch, Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games, and Raven Software all become wider parts of the Xbox Studios family, bringing past and future Call of Duty titles with them.

With such a seismic change, what could the Microsoft buyout mean for the future of the series, and what changes could Xbox Studios make to Call of Duty moving forward? We’ve picked out five ways the legendary FPS franchise could change forever once the deal is complete.

Call of Duty becomes Xbox-exclusive

The topic on every Call of Duty fan’s lips right now is Xbox exclusivity. With Microsoft adding the biggest console FPS title to their portfolio, they could use it to drive consumers away from the PS5 by announcing that future CoD titles are only available on the Xbox Series X|S.

Thankfully, that seems fairly unlikely, at least for the time being. Microsoft Gaming’s CEO Phil Spencer has already eased fears, telling Bloomberg that “it’s not our intent to pull communities away from [Sony’s] platform, and we remain committed to that.”

Xbox's Phil Spencer to Bloomberg: "I’ll just say to players out there who are playing Activision Blizzard games on Sony’s platform: It’s not our intent to pull communities away from that platform and we remained committed to that."

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) January 18, 2022

Still, we wouldn’t expect to see Sony’s deal for exclusive content on PlayStation consoles continue for long, with Microsoft likely to move that feature to Xbox as soon as possible.

---

A focus on Ranked Play

Ranked Play is a controversial word for CoD players. For years, players have bemoaned the franchise’s lackluster, and sometimes entirely missing, ranked playlists. A decade on, Black Ops 2’s League Play is still the gold standard in the franchise.

• Read More: Best Call of Duty games ever ranked: Full tier list

Under Xbox though, this might finally change. Halo Infinite featured a ranked playlist at launch, something we’ve been begging developers to do for years.

It’s unlikely that this will be Xbox’s biggest focus, but perhaps we could see CoD developers following 343 Industries’ path in the future.

---

CoD’s annual release schedule ends

This one is pretty unlikely, but as it stands, Xbox don’t have any titles that release on a yearly schedule – something Call of Duty is synonymous with.

Halo fans had to wait six years between Guardians and Infinite, and while we don’t think there would ever be such a huge gap between titles, Xbox Studios may be more open to granting developers more time to polish games before release.

• Read More: Best Warzone guns: Every weapon ranked

A greater focus on frequent Warzone updates, and using existing Xbox studios to help Raven Software, could help to plug a longer gap between mainline franchise releases.

---

Remastered CoD games & Xbox Game Pass

Game Pass has been a huge focus for Xbox, giving players the opportunity to play hundreds of games, starting at $9.99 a month. What better way to get Call of Duty players on the service than adding fan-favorite titles to its extensive library?

Who wouldn’t be pulling out their credit card to get back into CoD 4’s legendary campaign, or to dive into World At War’s classic Zombies mode?

If Microsoft wanted to go the extra mile, they could even add remastered versions of these games. Rumors suggest that an updated version of Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer was in development at one point, and Game Pass could be the perfect place to release it.

---

Amazing crossovers

Minecraft Steve in Zombies? Master Chief in multiplayer? Forza cars in Warzone? All of these crazy ideas are now possible, as we expect to see major crossovers between Xbox games and Call of Duty.

• Read More: 10 best Call of Duty maps ever

While CoD’s Attack on Titan collaboration wasn’t well-received, the teams who create Microsoft’s iconic characters could actively work with studios like Sledgehammer and Raven to create awesome skins and cosmetics.

And really, who wouldn’t want to win a Warzone match as a kitted-out Spartan from Halo?

---

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard creates so many options and theories, it could make your head spin. The reality is that we’ve never seen any deal as big as this in gaming, and the possibilities are endless. These are just a few possibilities, but Xbox may have even bigger plans than we could imagine.

With so many ideas and concerns, all we can do for now is wait and see how it all plays out. Still, we can’t contain our excitement at what could come next when the deal concludes before June 2023.

Image Credits: Activision Blizzard / Microsoft / 343 Industries

On January 18, Microsoft stunned the gaming community with a reported $70 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard which has left gamers wondering when Call of Duty games will be added to Xbox Game Pass.

The shocking news of Microsoft’s takeover will have massive implications on the Call of Duty franchise moving forward. Early reports from Microsoft suggest that they currently do not have plans of making Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive.

As of now, one can only guess where Microsoft will take the franchise in the future but it’s safe to say CoD games could be making their way to Xbox Game Pass.

When will Call of Duty games be added to Xbox Game Pass

At the moment there is no official date for when Call of Duty will be added to Xbox Game Pass. However, we will be updating this article as more information about Microsoft’s future plans are revealed.

It’s being reported that the buyout should be complete before June 2023 therefore CoD 2023 may turn out to be the first title to appear on Xbox Game Pass.

• Read more: Call of Duty 2022: Modern Warfare 2 modes, maps, Warzone integration

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s video game subscription service that launched in 2017. For a monthly fee, gamers are granted access to a rotating catalog of games. This service isn’t exclusive to Xbox console owners as Android, iOS devices, and PC players can also access the subscription.

Having Call of Duty on Game Pass would be massive…

Imagine new Call of Duty releases Day 1 on Game Pass yearly.. no more paying $60 for the game, just get it on Game Pass 🤯 pic.twitter.com/sTxnux52ym

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) January 18, 2022

Although the takeover still needs to be finalized, Call of Duty fans are already eagerly anticipating the possibility that future Call of Duty games will make their way to Xbox Game Pass.

Breaking news: Microsoft confirms that once the deal between Activision Blizzard & Xbox is closed, the company will start adding Activision Blizzard games to Xbox Game Pass & PC Game Pass

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) January 18, 2022

Obviously, the benefit of adding Call of Duty to the Xbox Game Pass catalog is not lost on fans of the franchise. Not only would they save money but the day one access is a significant bonus for longtime CoD fans.

• Read more: CoD leaker claims classic Modern Warfare 2 maps will appear in CoD 2022

The service essentially took over from the iconic Xbox Live subscription offered to Xbox gamers. Xbox Game Pass is now a one-stop shop for all of the premium services offered by Microsoft.

---

For more Call of Duty news check out how a CoD leaker revealed a possible Modern Warfare 2 early release date after Vanguard issues.

Image Credits: Activision / Microsoft