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Activision Blizzard makes some of the most popular games on the planet, and now it seems we’re going to get some of those games on Xbox Game Pass. By now, you’ve likely heard the news. Microsoft Gaming has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard.
With that comes a whole slew of changes on the horizon. One of which is adding games from the Activision Blizzard lineup to Xbox Game Pass. There are tons of games under that umbrella though. And obviously not every game will make its way to the Xbox cloud gaming service. But there are definitely some that deserve to be included more than others.
The 5 Activision Blizzard games we want to see on Xbox Game Pass
So, here’s our list of the 5 games from Activision Blizzard that we want to see come to Xbox Game Pass. Before we get into it though, it is worth noting that none of this will transpire unless the acquisition goes through. And even if it is approved, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has said games wouldn’t be added until after the sale is closed. Which isn’t expected to happen until June of 2023.
All that said, we feel these 5 games are Xbox Game Pass must-haves.
Every good Call Of Duty game
Call Of Duty has time and again proven to be the most popular franchises in terms of sales every year for a long time. Not just in the US, but globally. With the advent of Xbox Game Pass, it would be nice to see CoD join the ranks.
But, not every single game in the franchise. While many of them have been good, there are a few we’d leave behind. We’re looking at you Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
Jokes aside, this would be the number one game to add. And perhaps it would be more accurate to say the number one game franchise. Because if we had to pick just one game, it would probably fall back on whatever the most current one is.
But there are more than a few other good titles in the series that would be fun to replay. And having them on Xbox Game Pass could make them more accessible than ever. Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, World At War, the Modern Warfare remake. We could go on. And we realize that a majority of the CoD franchise is more than one game. But, it’s CoD. If you’re a fan of FPS, you’ve played a CoD game in your lifetime. And you likely have a favorite that’s different from us or many others.
The point is, Call Of Duty is a mainstay in first-person shooters. And having it on Game Pass seems like a no-brainer.
World Of Warcraft
Another no-brainer would be World Of Warcraft. While this would take some serious overhauling in the controls department if it were to be made accessible through mobile and tablet devices without a physical keyboard, this would be a massive title on Game Pass.
Even if it was only available on PC Game Pass, Microsoft Gaming could choose to keep the subscription fee in play by simply making it a part of the Game Pass monthly sub. Which would save people money.
Blizzard has also typically not allowed games like WoW to be played through cloud gaming services or remote computing options. It’s strictly against the terms of service to login and play World Of Warcraft using services like Shadow or other similar programs.
If World Of Warcraft came to Game Pass, millions of players would be able to experience the game in a whole new way. On the go, using the power of the cloud. Granted, Microsoft would have to try and work in controller support. And that would probably take a lot of time and effort. But if Square Enix can do it for Final Fantasy XIV, then Microsoft can do it for World Of Warcraft.
Whether or not it would is another thing entirely. And despite World Of Warcraft’s more recent lackluster expansions, it’s still one of the best MMOs out there. With Game Pass accessibility, years of hopes and dreams for legions of players could finally be realized. The dream to play WoW away from home without the need for a gaming laptop.
Diablo IV & Diablo II: Resurrected
While those that have enjoyed the wonders of Diablo Immortal wait for its eventual release, anyone itching to get a Diablo fix can do so with Diablo II: Resurrected. Which is out now on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Diablo IV is also in development, albeit likely still a long way’s off. These are two games we would love to see come to Xbox Game Pass though. Diablo II: Resurrected is already available on the Xbox platform and already works with a controller. Making it an easy game to play from mobile devices if everything else were in place.
Diablo IV on the other hand hasn’t necessarily been confirmed for any platforms but PC. But its predecessor Diablo III is available on multiple platforms. So there’s no reason not to go the same route. And by the time it releases, the Microsoft Gaming acquisition will have already been finalized. Pending its approval of course.
Which means Diablo IV would even have the potential to be a Day 1 Game Pass release. If you’re still skeptical about games like Diablo away from a traditional PC setting, ask anyone who’s played any of the Diablo titles on anything other than PC.
Diablo III and Diablo II: Resurrected on consoles have both gotten plenty of positive feedback from players. And Diablo Immortal has been a hit with just about everyone in its few tests. Including us. The Diablo franchise would be right at home on Xbox Game Pass. And we’re hoping Microsoft Gaming makes the right decision here.
Overwatch & Overwatch 2
It stands to reason that if Overwatch made it to Xbox Game Pass, Overwatch 2 would also make the jump. When it eventually releases. For the time being, the famed team shooter from Blizzard would be a big hit with fans on Game Pass. And while we’re mostly thinking of this in the light of being able to play these games on our phones with a connected controller, it’s more than that.
Game Pass subscribers who haven’t played Overwatch would be able to experience what’s been so great about it. Again, opening up the franchise to many more people who may not have had the opportunity to play it beforehand.
Not to mention anyone who has wanted to try it out on Xbox could do so with Game Pass before purchasing.
It’s a little less iconic than the other games on this list so far, but it’s still a noteworthy game that we think would do well on Microsoft’s service.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2
The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series defined a generation much in the way that Final Fantasy VII did – it enthralled its player base. Legions of teenagers came home from school and powered on their consoles, and hours melted away as they proceeded to pull off trick after trick on their trusty skateboards, while playing as their favorite pro skaters.
With the recent revival of the series in Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 remakes, the franchise has had some new life breathed into it. And we think Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 would be a killer game to have on Game Pass.
The first game in the series set the stage. But THPS2 was arguably the better game. So, if we have to pick, we’re going with the second title in the series. Luckily, we wouldn’t have to pick. Because both games were released as a bundle. So the duo would be a two for one deal.
Honorable mentions
There’s a lot of great games from the Activision Blizzard studios. But we had to shave things down a bit. However, we still love some of the other games we didn’t pick. And we feel like they at the very least deserve to be mentioned.
Titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for example was a massive hit with Dark Souls fans. We also loved this game and have spent our own considerable amount of hours bashing our heads against some of its toughest bosses.
And while we did thoroughly enjoy it, we could live without it being on Game Pass. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro are two other franchises that have plenty of loyal fans. Hell, both game franchises were part of many a PlayStation 1 owner’s upbringing.
That being said, they don’t have the same pull as some of the other titles. Don’t get us wrong. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro are two amazing games, but we could easily live without these ones on Game Pass as well.