Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is slated for release on October 23, and in a significant shift for the franchise's availability, it will not be included with Xbox Game Pass at launch. Activision reiterated this policy in a recent blog post, noting that the game will be a standalone purchase for approximately one year before becoming available on the subscription service. The base edition of MW4 will start at $70, with the Vault edition priced at $100.
This marks a departure from recent Call of Duty entries. Black Ops 6, released in 2024, and its successor Black Ops 7 in 2025, both launched directly into Xbox Game Pass. However, Microsoft announced earlier this year that future Call of Duty titles would follow a different model. While the exact reasons remain undisclosed, this change is widely believed to be a response to financial considerations. Reports suggested that Black Ops 6's inclusion in Game Pass resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in missed revenue for Microsoft.
This strategic adjustment is part of a broader "reset" of the Xbox business being overseen by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, which also includes efforts to bolster Xbox console exclusives.
Despite MW4's delayed Game Pass debut, subscribers can still access a substantial catalog of older Call of Duty titles. The current offerings include Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty: WW2, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022).