Xbox Game Pass is set to welcome its first Activision Blizzard game, Diablo IV, slated for release on March 28. This move signifies that Game Pass members, totaling 34 million, will have access to Diablo IV on Xbox and PC without any additional charges, as announced by Xbox today.
This development marks just the initial phase of Xbox’s broader strategy to integrate Activision Blizzard titles into its subscription service, following Microsoft’s complete acquisition of the studio.
According to Xbox Wire, more Activision Blizzard titles, both new releases and classics from its renowned catalog, will soon be available on Game Pass. Xbox plans to share further details regarding additional Activision Blizzard games joining Game Pass in the near future.
The inclusion of Diablo IV is a significant addition to Game Pass, and there is a plethora of other popular franchises within Activision Blizzard’s portfolio, such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Tony Hawk, World of Warcraft, and Starcraft.
Microsoft finalized its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October 2023 after enduring nearly two years of antitrust scrutiny from authorities in the United States and abroad. The deal, valued at nearly $69 billion, stands as the largest in Microsoft’s history. As part of regulatory negotiations, Microsoft agreed to transfer the streaming rights for Activision Blizzard games to Ubisoft, paving the way for their inclusion in Game Pass, Ubisoft+, and other cloud services. This agreement spans 15 years, and similar 10-year contracts were signed with Nintendo and several other streaming platforms.
In the United States, the FTC continues its investigation into the acquisition, recently accusing Microsoft of misrepresenting its intentions for Activision Blizzard following layoffs in January that impacted 1,900 employees across the company’s gaming divisions. As a result, at least one Blizzard game was canceled, and the Skylanders studio Toys for Bob underwent significant restructuring.
