Is Modern Warfare 2 coming to Xbox Game Pass?

Liam Mackay
Gaz in Modern Warfare 2 and Xbox Game Pass logo

Microsoft are in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard, Call of Duty’s publisher, but what does that mean for Modern Warfare 2 coming to Xbox Games Pass? Here’s everything we know.

Microsoft shook the gaming world by announcing they were acquiring Activision Blizzard, who publishes Call of Duty, Overwatch, and more. There’s been a ton of speculation surrounding it, with CoD games arriving on Xbox Game Pass often leading the discussion.

Modern Warfare 2 arrives on October 28 and thanks to its reveal trailer, the upcoming Call of Duty Next event, and Warzone 2 releasing this year, hype is at an all-time high. With pre-orders live, some are holding off in the hope that Modern Warfare 2 will launch on Xbox Game Pass. Here’s everything we know.

modern warfare 2 ghost

Will Modern Warfare 2 launch on Xbox Game Pass?

No, Modern Warfare 2 will not launch on Xbox Game Pass on October 28.

Sony currently have a marketing partnership with Call of Duty that gives PlayStation players early access to betas, free Combat Packs, and exclusive game modes. This marketing deal still stands, and unless Microsoft buys it out, we won’t see Modern Warfare 2 arrive on Game Pass before the deal goes through.

Plus, Microsoft revealed all of the games coming to Xbox and PC over 2022 and 2023 and also included whether they’ll arrive on Xbox Game Pass. Modern Warfare 2 was not marked as coming to Xbox Game Pass, which makes it all the more unlikely.

Will Modern Warfare 2 eventually come to Xbox Game Pass?

Yes, Modern Warfare 2 and all of the other Call of Duty games are set to arrive on Xbox Game Pass once Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer provided an update in a September 1 blog, confirming that “We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass.”

While there’s no release date for Call of Duty on Game Pass, the deal is set to close in June 2023, so this gives a reasonable estimate as to when the games will be added.

Modern Warfare 2 is rumored to have a two-year cycle, so we could see the game arrive in time for its second year of content. Or, the premium CoD title that Activision teased for 2023 could arrive on Game Pass day one — we’ll just have to wait and see.


For more on Modern Warfare 2, be sure to check out the leaked campaign footage and Ground War map.

Image Credit: Activision / Microsoft

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About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor who focuses on Call of Duty but also plays lots of fantasy RPGs or anything else in his massive gaming backlog. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam freelanced in games journalism before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].