Xbox Game Pass has built much of its modern identity around one huge promise: big first-party games on day one. That is exactly why a new rumor involving Call of Duty is getting so much attention.
According to Xbox insider Jez Corden, Microsoft is reportedly reconsidering whether Call of Duty should continue launching day one on Game Pass this year. The report has sparked immediate debate because it would mark a major shift in strategy for one of Xbox’s biggest subscription-selling points. As of now, this remains a rumor, and Microsoft has not publicly confirmed any change to its Call of Duty or Game Pass plans.
This Xbox Game Pass rumor has caught everyone’s attention
Call of Duty is not just another franchise in Microsoft’s portfolio. It is one of the biggest annual releases in gaming, and after Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition, many players saw day one Game Pass access as one of the clearest benefits of the deal.
That is why the idea of removing Call of Duty from day one Game Pass access feels like such a big deal. Microsoft has pushed Game Pass as a service where subscribers can jump into major releases immediately. If Call of Duty no longer fits into that plan, it could signal that Microsoft is rethinking how far it wants to take the day-one model for its most expensive blockbuster games.
Jez Corden’s report is creating quite a buzz
The current buzz comes from Jez Corden, who said there is reportedly a possibility that Xbox could take Call of Duty out of Xbox Game Pass day one this year. The rumor quickly spread across social media, including a widely shared post from CharlieIntel, which framed the report as Microsoft reconsidering one of its biggest day-one strategies.
At the time of writing, there has been no official Xbox statement backing that up, so it should still be treated carefully as unconfirmed industry talk rather than a finalized policy change.
Microsoft might be reconsidering the strategy
If the rumor is true, the most obvious reason is money. A Bloomberg report from October 2025 said Xbox gave up more than $300 million in Call of Duty sales after putting the franchise on Game Pass, based on estimates from a former employee. That report added fuel to the argument that while Game Pass helps engagement and ecosystem growth, it can also eat into direct software sales for premium franchises.
That financial pressure matters even more because Microsoft already raised Xbox Game Pass pricing and reshaped its tiers in October 2025. Xbox said Ultimate would remain the tier for day one releases, while Premium would get Xbox-published games within a year of launch instead. Those changes already suggested Microsoft was trying to better balance value for players with the rising cost of maintaining Game Pass as a blockbuster-heavy subscription service.
Could Call of Duty become the exception?
That is the question at the center of this rumor. Microsoft may not be abandoning day one Game Pass entirely, but Call of Duty is in a different financial category than most releases. It is a franchise that can drive huge full-price sales, battle pass spending, and in-game purchases on top of premium editions.
If Xbox believes putting Call of Duty on Game Pass day one leaves too much money on the table, it would not be shocking to see the company treat the series differently from the rest of its first-party lineup. That kind of carveout would still be controversial, though, because it would create a very visible exception to a strategy Xbox has spent years promoting. The idea would also be especially noticeable since recent Xbox messaging has continued to position Game Pass Ultimate as the home of day one releases.
If Microsoft does pull Call of Duty from day one Game Pass access, the reaction would likely be immediate. The chance to play premium releases at launch is the biggest reason to stay subscribed. Taking away a franchise as massive as Call of Duty could make some players question the value of the service, especially after the recent price increases.
At the same time, Microsoft may believe Call of Duty is strong enough to sell millions without needing the extra Game Pass boost. From a business standpoint, that may look attractive. From a consumer standpoint, it would feel like a major step back from what many players expected after the Activision Blizzard deal.
Xbox has not confirmed anything yet
This story is still firmly in rumor territory. Jez Corden’s report has definitely started an important conversation, but there is no official confirmation that Microsoft has made a final decision to remove Call of Duty from day one Game Pass in 2026.
Still, even the possibility says a lot about where Xbox may be headed. If Microsoft is truly reconsidering Call of Duty’s place in the service, it could be one of the clearest signs yet that the economics of Game Pass are changing. And if that happens, one of Xbox’s boldest promises may no longer be as simple as it once was.
