Call of Duty
News, coverage and analysis tracking Call of Duty across the outlets.
The price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is falling, and all it cost was day one access to new Call of Duty gamesMicrosoft is lowering the monthly price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 and PC Game Pass from $16.49 to $13.99. In exchange for the reduced cost, future Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on day one, instead launching during the holiday season following their release. This change follows a previous price hike and aims to re-evaluate the value proposition of the subscription service under new leadership.
Microsoft cuts Game Pass price months after previous price hikeMicrosoft is reducing the monthly prices for its Game Pass subscription service on both Xbox consoles and PC. Game Pass Ultimate will now cost $22.99, down from $29.99, and PC Game Pass will be $13.99, down from $16.49. As part of this change, new Call of Duty games will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch.
Microsoft cuts Game Pass pricing and removes Call of Duty as day-one launch title in response to "a lot of feedback"Microsoft is reducing the monthly price of its Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions in response to player feedback about cost. Additionally, new Call of Duty titles will now be added to the service approximately one year after their initial release, rather than on day one. These changes come as Microsoft's content and services revenue has seen a year-on-year decline.
Xbox drops Game Pass prices as Call of Duty officially exits service's Day One launch slate strategyMicrosoft has reduced the monthly prices for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. In conjunction with these price drops, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on the service on their launch day, but will be added approximately one year later. The company stated these changes are in response to player feedback and aim to improve the value proposition of Game Pass.- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price UpdateXbox has updated its Game Pass pricing, with Game Pass Ultimate now costing $22.99 per month and PC Game Pass at $13.99 per month. Future Call of Duty titles will not launch on Game Pass, but will be added approximately one year later during the holiday season.
Retro Chess Roguelike Below the Crown Casts Spells, Explosions, Strategies in 1.0 Release TodayBelow the Crown, a chess roguelike from Misfits Attic, has launched its 1.0 version on PC via Steam. The game features spellcasting, strategic piece management, and multiple endings, with new content including the Queen Wizard and additional runes. It is available for $14.99 USD and is also featured in several bundles with other chess and roguelike titles.
Xbox VP Clarifies A Key Detail About Project Helix, But Questions RemainXbox next-gen VP Jason Ronald clarified that Project Helix will be a first-party Xbox console, addressing rumors that it might be a third-party device. He stated the system aims to break down barriers between console and PC games for seamless cross-device play and a unified developer path. Alpha kits are expected to be sent to developers in 2027.
Today's Game Pass Change Is A Great One. The Next One Will Hurt.Xbox has unexpectedly lowered the price of Game Pass Ultimate back to $23 per month, a move that benefits many subscribers despite removing day-one Call of Duty access. This price drop, preceded by an internal memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, is seen as a precursor to a potential introduction of an ad-supported tier for Game Pass. The author expresses concern that this could lead to the widespread adoption of intrusive advertising in console and PC gaming, citing examples from other services that have introduced ads over time.
Game Pass's Price Cut Isn't The Discount You Think It IsMicrosoft has reduced the monthly price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $30 to $23, but excluded the annual Call of Duty release from the service. This change effectively saves subscribers $14 annually if they do not plan to purchase the new Call of Duty title at launch. The move is seen as a strategic adjustment to re-attract lapsed subscribers and avoid cannibalizing Call of Duty sales, while still maintaining overall revenue.
Xbox Game Pass Price, Day-One Games, And Tiers In 2026 ExplainedMicrosoft is implementing significant changes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service in April 2026, including a price decrease for Game Pass Ultimate to $23 per month and the removal of day-one releases for new Call of Duty titles. The service will continue to offer a library of games across various tiers, with some first-party titles still launching day-one, while others will arrive within 12 months.
CoD Launches Are Gone, But Game Pass Should Ditch All The Other Games You've Heard Of, TooMicrosoft has removed day-one access to Call of Duty from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, leading to speculation about a new, cheaper tier focused on curated AA and indie games. The author argues that a more focused Game Pass library could help smaller titles gain attention and provide better value than a vast collection of AAA games.
Game Pass Gets Price Drop, New Call Of Duty Games No Longer IncludedMicrosoft has reduced the price of Xbox Game Pass subscriptions in response to negative feedback. Additionally, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be included with the service at launch, but will arrive about a year later. Existing Call of Duty games will remain on Game Pass.
The Last Of Us Star Troy Baker Wants To Start His Own Game Studio, But He Won't Rush ItActor Troy Baker, known for his roles in The Last of Us and Uncharted, is exploring the possibility of starting his own game studio to tell his own stories. He emphasized a desire to build a trusted team and avoid rushing the process, learning from past industry successes. Baker plans to leverage his extensive experience collaborating with industry veterans like Hideo Kojima and Neil Druckmann.
PlayStation consoles will need age verification to use voice chat from this yearSony Interactive Entertainment is implementing age verification for voice and text chat features on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles to comply with global regulations. Users will need to complete a one-time verification process, likely using a service like Yoti, to continue using communication features, though other services like gaming and the store will remain accessible. This change is expected to roll out across all regions by the end of the year, with Microsoft and Nintendo likely to follow suit.
Xbox Game Pass Price Drops Announced, No More New Call of Duty Games on Day OneMicrosoft has announced price reductions for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. However, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on day one, with a delay of approximately one year. These changes are reportedly a response to player feedback and the high revenue generated by individual game sales.
Apple’s New CEO Won’t Make Games—But He Might Make Macs Worth Gaming OnWith John Ternus, known for his work on Apple silicon, now CEO, there's potential for Macs to become a more viable gaming platform. While not expecting a direct challenge to consoles, Ternus's hardware background could accelerate the gradual improvements in Mac gaming capabilities and software support.- 15 years ago today, the PlayStation Network went offline and didn’t come back for over 3 weeksFifteen years ago today, on April 20, 2011, Sony's PlayStation Network (PSN) was taken offline due to a significant data breach affecting over 77 million accounts. The outage lasted for 24 days, preventing online play for games like Mortal Kombat 9 and Call of Duty. Sony eventually offered compensation, including free games and PlayStation Plus subscriptions, and later stated there was no confirmed misuse of compromised personal or financial information.
The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is a no-holds-barred cinephile projectorThe Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is a high-end projector praised for its ease of use and excellent cinephile features, particularly its handling of dark scenes and vibrant color reproduction. While its built-in speakers are surprisingly good, its gaming features are not as robust as some competitors, and its $2,999 price tag is a significant investment. Despite minor bugs and a less competitive gaming performance compared to rivals like BenQ, it offers a superb movie-watching experience.
Nordic Game 2026 announces speakers for Masterclass Friday programmeNordic Game 2026 has announced the speakers for its Masterclass Friday program, featuring industry professionals from companies like Starbreeze and Ubisoft. The program will offer full-day workshops in design, art, business, and narrative, curated by the Mighty Diamonds mentor group. The event will take place from May 26 to May 29 in Malmö, Sweden.
Doja Cat has spoken: 'I think I like Overwatch more than Marvel Rivals' after just one matchMusician Doja Cat expressed a preference for Overwatch over Marvel Rivals after playing her first match of the former. She shared her positive experience on Twitch, praising the hero design and accessibility of Overwatch, particularly enjoying the character Juno. The article also mentions other notable figures like Luka Dončić who play Overwatch.