Recent reports suggest that Microsoft may have sacrificed around $300 million in sales after adding Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to Xbox Game Pass. The leak comes shortly after Microsoft announced a price hike for the service, which has already caused a backlash among subscribers.
The Cost of Including Call of Duty on Game Pass
According to Bloomberg, an insider claims that Microsoft forfeited over $300 million in potential sales on PC and consoles by including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 as part of Xbox Game Pass. The report comes from a former employee, who chose to remain anonymous but stated that many players chose to play the game through Game Pass instead of purchasing it outright.
This marks the first time a Call of Duty title has been available on Game Pass at launch, giving subscribers immediate access to one of the most profitable franchises in gaming. While this move boosted the appeal of Game Pass, it also appears to have undercut direct sales for the title.
Black Ops 6 Still Performed Strongly
Despite the alleged revenue loss, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has continued to perform exceptionally well on PlayStation and PC, balancing out some of the lost sales. However, the long-term impact of including major releases on Game Pass remains a topic of debate within the industry.
Xbox Game Pass Price Increase Follows the Leak
The timing of the leak coincides with a significant Xbox Game Pass price increase, which saw the Ultimate tier jump by $10 per month. The decision sparked widespread frustration, with some users even crashing the Xbox website while trying to unsubscribe.
According to Microsoft, the price change will be applied to all subscribers by early November 2025, just before the expected launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. If players once again use Game Pass instead of buying the next title, the increased subscription cost could help offset the company’s losses.
Growing Game Pass Library Amid Rising Costs
While the price hike was unpopular, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has seen its library expand from 492 games in July 2024 to 838 by October 2025. Microsoft also added Fortnite Crew to the tier, increasing the overall value. Still, whether subscribers feel these benefits justify the added expense remains to be seen.
As Microsoft continues to balance accessibility with profitability, the Call of Duty experiment could become a defining case study in the evolving economics of subscription-based gaming.
