The creator of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 says Game Pass helped convince people who were hesitant to try the game – but now the challenge is convincing them to stick around

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 released on day one on Game Pass – the first Call of Duty game to do so following Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

This was a huge risk for Microsoft, and some analysts predicted a significant drop in game sales as a result, especially on Xbox. However, in its latest financial report, Microsoft seemed delighted with Black Ops 6’s early performance, stating that PlayStation and PC sales were 60% higher compared to Modern Warfare 3’s 2023 launch.

However, all eyes were on Black Ops 6’s impact on Game Pass. The growth of Microsoft’s subscription services has stalled in recent years, and the first day of release of the latest installment in Activision’s wildly successful first-person shooter franchise was seen as a watershed moment for Game Pass.

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Microsoft has not yet said exactly how many modern subscribers Black Ops 6 gained, although CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that Game Pass set a record for modern subscribers on launch day.

In an interview for BBCTreyarch deputy original director Miles Leslie, who has been working on Call of Duty for 16 years, said that making Black Ops 6 available on Game Pass helped convince players who “were hesitant” to give the game a chance.

“What we’ve seen is that people who may have been unsure, may have experienced some friction, may have said, ‘I haven’t played in a while,’ actually went back and tried the game,” he said.

This will be music to Microsoft’s ears, considering it’s desperate to expand Call of Duty’s audience in the long run. Analysts suggest the company was willing to sacrifice sales of Black Ops 6 on Xbox in exchange for a potentially larger player base, which it intends to monetize in the long term by releasing battle passes and cosmetics.

“We’ve gotten to the point where Black Ops and Call of Duty have been around for so long – I’ve been working on them for 16 years,” added Leslie. “Really the challenge for us is how do we attract fans who love Call of Duty, but also how do we create an environment where we can welcome new fans?”

The trick, of course, is to convince Game Pass players to stick around and continue paying the monthly subscription. To that end, the first season of Black Ops 6 starts on November 14 and we already know all the details. Of course, this time next year, fans will be treated to another premium Call of Duty game, ostensibly a sequel to Black Ops 2.

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Wesley is the UK news editor at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. Wesley can be reached at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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