Could Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass Solve a Major Issue?

Speculations suggest that the arrival of Call of Duty on Game Pass could bring a significant advantage to the franchise.
Could Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass Solve a Major Issue?

Highlights

  • The potential addition of Call of Duty to Game Pass may address storage concerns and enable players to switch between different CoD titles effortlessly.
  • Cloud gaming could provide a remedy for large file sizes, simplifying access to multiple CoD games without lengthy downloads or excessive storage usage.
  • Game Pass could offer benefits for both players and developers, enhancing the value for subscribers and potentially increasing subscriptions for Microsoft. However, it is seen as a temporary fix, as fans on other platforms are eager for reductions in CoD file sizes.

With Microsoft now overseeing Activision, fans are eager for popular franchises like Call of Duty to enhance the Game Pass experience. Recent rumors swirling around the possible introduction of Call of Duty to Game Pass highlight a significant advantage that cannot be overlooked.

The prospects of Call of Duty joining Game Pass seem promising, especially with Activision expressing interest in bringing the series to the platform. Recent speculations have further fueled this possibility. An observant Reddit user noticed Black Ops 3 in the Xbox Cloud Gaming library, while an article from Insider Gaming hinted at the franchise's back catalog becoming available on Game Pass soon.

Impact of Call of Duty on Game Pass on File Size Challenges

If CoD indeed becomes part of Game Pass, the advantages for the franchise would be significant. This move would not only enable more players to engage with the series, benefiting gamers and Activision alike, but it could also provide an avenue for fans to enjoy CoD games through cloud gaming. Embracing this approach could be a game-changer for individuals wary of the massive file sizes associated with CoD titles such as Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare, and Modern Warfare 3, which consume substantial storage space, a trend increasingly prevalent in the gaming realm.

Cloud Gaming to Address Lengthy Downloads

The escalating file sizes pose a growing challenge for the gaming industry. The recent uproar over the file size of the Battlefront Classic Collection underscores this issue; alongside its server debacle at launch, the collection arrived with a considerable file size. Even on the Switch, the two games totaled 25GB, a stark contrast to the approximately 8GB of the original games. The problem of inadequate file compression has worsened with the diminishing presence of physical gaming, as many disc-based copies entail larger and larger downloads.

Call of Duty has been a major headache for gamers contending with storage limitations. The franchise's numerous blockbuster titles, compounded by Modern Warfare 3's hefty size exceeding 200GB, have exacerbated the situation. Fortunately, if Activision opts for Game Pass integration and embraces cloud gaming, it could circumvent these challenges more swiftly than attempting to compress the game files. Cloud gaming would enable players to swiftly delve into new or old CoD releases, a valuable asset given the intensifying competition faced by the aging franchise.

Additional Advantages of Game Pass

While debates persist about Xbox Game Pass's impact on developers, the service offers undeniable advantages that even a behemoth like CoD could leverage. Introducing older games to the service could prove beneficial. With these titles no longer generating consistent sales, there is minimal downside to including them on Game Pass—enhancing the value and potentially boosting sales for both Activision and Microsoft. Furthermore, this move could aid CoD in reclaiming any lost ground to Battlefield, a franchise that has already made significant strides on the platform.

Cloud Gaming: A Temporary Fix

The persisting issue of massive downloads, evident even in physical media and unabated with recent releases like Star Wars Outlaws, remains a concern despite the potential cloud gaming solution. Not all players may afford Game Pass monthly or have interest in the majority of its offerings. Physical media should retain its former advantage of bypassing extensive downloads, and it would be advantageous for file sizes of CoD and other contemporary releases to undergo reductions.