![[XBX, PS5, PC, Steam] Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - Free Access Open Beta October 6 - 9 @ Various Platforms](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/39/927139.jpg?h=ed6f8753)
CALL OF DUTY®: BLACK OPS 7 BETA
Early Access: October 3 - 6- Open Beta: October 6 - 9
Available on below platforms:
[XBX, PS5, PC, Steam] Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - Free Access Open Beta October 6 - 9 @ Various Platforms
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That’s a weird argument. They’d include it in game pass as an incentive to subscribe? If they wanted people to buy it don’t include it in game pass.
Not particularly, as putting COD into xbox gamepass only works as an incentive for ultimate, and whilst it does work for PC, internal data shows that the vast majority of players (and sales) are actually on non windows/xbox platforms (i.e. playstation). The argument made by said youtubers likely refers to a recent Bloomberg article that claimed that microsoft had "lost" about 300m in sales because of said decision to put COD on gamepass - according to current/former employees interviewed by Bloomberg.
The basic idea has always been to double dip, having people purchase the subscription, then offering incentives through the subscription to eventually purchase the game or dlc (micro transactions) on their own storefront. They likely already recognise that those who subscribed and didn't subsequently purchase said game, already weren't likely to have made the purchase in the first place.
The most questionable thing in all of the recent "drama", is that Microsoft seemingly had internal data that made them think the subscription model for COD would work out, but recent actions seem to imply that it didn't shape up as they wanted it to - now we say seemingly had, because most didn't think it would be sustainable to put COD on gamepass day 1, and since microsoft still did it, it either meant they had data or someone was really confident that it'd work out.
It was due to Microsoft indicated they would add COD games to GamePass when they decided to buy Activision Blizzard. It would be a huge embarrassment to back track on that. Microsoft even indicated they wouldn't raise the price of GamePass back then, but we know the opposite has happened.
- Game Pass hasn’t delivered the explosive growth Microsoft anticipated post-Activision.
- XBox Series S|X owners with GamePass didn't need to pay more (before the GamePass price rise). Micro$oft now wants us to show them the money.
- Ironically, for Black Ops 6, 82% of game sales in the US occurring on PlayStation platforms.
- Black Ops 7 has hit record-low pre-order numbers on PlayStation platforms.
I am guessing micro-transactions from COD games also are not doing as well as Microsoft has hoped for. Also, Sony used to give Activision a discounted deal (only taking 20% cut), but now it is Microsoft, Sony takes standard 30% cut. I think the real problem is that Microsoft has never been good at running game studios.
Too many people probably subscribing using points instead of outright purchasing…
I’m not sure why the majority of purchases being on PlayStation is a shock… when it was included on game pass? Losing $300 million in sales is probably an over exaggeration of the fact that ~5 million users probably played it on game pass at least once, myself included. I wouldn’t have bought the game.
Forgive me, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make here. You responded to the initial comment by saying it's a weird argument, and I clarified that it wasn't particularly a weird argument, they just didn't argue about the wider issue - that sales for COD are higher on the playstation and that it appears profitability of the gamepass subscription model isn't sufficient atm, to the point that microsoft decided it necessitated a price increase (once again). Nowhere did I nor anyone else in this reply chain state it was a shock that playstation sales were higher.
The reason the playstation sales proportion was raised was to point out the fact that the majority of COD players appear to be in the playstation ecosystem - which means that access to the game via gamepass pc (not GPU since that would necessitate purchasing an xbox since you wouldn't purchase GPU to play on PC) does not appear to have any significant change in the fact that the majority of players are purchasing the game on the playstation.
The $300m claim was based off internal estimates allegedly by an current employee that contacted bloomberg anonymously. Since microsoft by and large stopped producing data for it, we have no way of actually verifying if the claim is true, but bloomberg themselves are generally reputable regarding this. So effectively you haven't actually refuted any argument, just pointed out things that were already stated.
Ironically, for Black Ops 6, 82% of game sales in the US occurring on PlayStation platforms.
I’m not sure why I got negged, I was more directing my first point at this. I don’t understand what’s ironic about that. It’s the only platform where the game wasn’t included in a subscription service, it makes complete sense for it to be the majority share of sales.
"Losing" $300 millions in sales refers to the shortfall of COD annual revenue after being added to GamePass (compared to previous years). Therefore, that $300mil needs to come out of GamePass.
If you look at the price increase of GamePass PC, that amount basically equals to buying a copy of COD a year. Is that a pure coincidence? GamePass Ultimate price increase is more puzzling, since it's more than buying a COD game a year.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is the next big first party title to be added to GamePass. Price increase of GamePass announced about a month before its launch date. Essentially, Microsoft needs 5 millions GamePass Ultimate or GamePass PC users for the next 12 months to cover that shortfall.
Microsoft was meant to discretely milk COD cashcow through GamePass, but the subscription growth is slower than expected. That's not acceptable so Microsoft is no longer hiding it (add the game cost into GamePass PC and Ultimate subscriptions).
Corporate greed is the reason
coz youtubers(the ones you would bother mentioning) are are paid by views…so whether they say stupid shit or agreeable shit it works out
Yes, a lot of clickbaits on youTube. However, most of us are too lazy to read articles. That said:
- Call of Duty games will not be included in Xbox Game Pass Premium, even one year after their launch. So, if you want to play Activision's FPS games, you'll have to upgrade to Ultimate.
- Microsoft Xbox Game Pass Ultimate loses Call of Duty Add-On discounts after price hike.
So Micro$oft clearly wants revenue from COD microtransactions and moving forward, need to pay extra to be able to play new COD games (GamePass Ultimate price increase). Micro$oft joining the dark side. Activision COD games need to provide revenue. The irony is that $ony also wants COD games to do well. They are generally cash cows.
Microsoft Xbox Game Pass Ultimate loses Call of Duty Add-On discounts after price hike.
Ultimate loses ALL discounts on add on content for all games not just COD and they've added more reward points to Ultimate which is what they said "covers" it. The discount for the games still on game pass is still there though.
@Mooncakes: Daily, weekly and monthly quests to get those bonus points. Or, buy games or add-ons. You get bonus points from buying selected Game Pass library games, add-ons.
For GamePass PC, the price increase basically means you are forced to spend an additional cost of buying a full price game per year (cough COD game cough) but you don't actually own it. GamePass Ultimate, the price increase is more than that, so you really need to complete those "quests" often enough to get the bonus points and use them.
My guess is most people will switch to occasional GamePass monthly subscriptions. Unclear what COD fans will do. Will they just buy the latest COD game each year or accept the new GamePass prices.
Once the Saudi Arabian Conglomerate takes over, expect it to cost $500 per month
Bro can't tell the difference between COD and Battlefield. EA and Activision Blizzard are two different company.
Give it a month and Activision Blizzard will be bought out and brought into the conglomerate lol
@AircraftFreight: You're talking out of your ass. Microsoft is the owner of Activision Blizzard. They paid 68.7billion for it and took them more than 3 years to finalise the purchase. Do you think within a month it will be sold?
@HandsomeMonkey: Watch this space, whispers already floating around Microsoft is unloading it for upwards of 90 Billion.
Yeah sure, but don’t you think a big ass data broker like Microsoft couldn’t have figured it out in advance and thereby this was always in the plans and natural cause of events 😏
So i can play the game full time on those days and try to finish it so I dont have to buy it later?
Finish what, the multiplayer?
Typing up memoir: … and so, as I had crushed my enemies and saw them driven before me and heard the lamentations of the women, there was no need to buy the full retail copy.
Doesnt it have a story mode?
Apparently it does, what an interesting surprise.
Betas like this never have story mode
the campaign mode is locked in this free beta…multiplayer only or solo zombies
Damn I haven’t played cod since having kids. Do I still have the reflexes I wonder.
nah
Fair enough
The download is prob 100gb too ah its too hot today
44.7GB and only one way to find out if you still have the reflexes.
You would be surprised. I can sometimes still hold my own.. or fail completely. I guess that is the thing about age, you lose the reflexes but never forget how to play.
Just keep up for a few games if you can manage to stay awake long enough haha
Don't worry skill-based matchmaking will put you against other people with kids :P
At this point I feel everyone prob just smurfing anyway
Oh no SBM, the bane of content creators.
They lowered sbmm a bit in the “open” playlist
Feels like the same game again, just as a a massive DLC extension.
taking a leaf out of Apple's book … people still buying them despite very little innovation and thought put into the product.
They had wrestlers, guys& gals in capes, squid game characters, people dressed like an oversized toy doll, friggin cartoon characters even. Obviously it sells well despite how ridiculous it may seem to tactical purists.
I'll play the beta but CoD lost it's soul when it became a live service game and let people run around as Homelander or Nicki Minaj shooting lasers instead of bullets.
At least BF6 appears to be a decent entry this year.
Whoever approved the idea of adding Beavis & Butthead to COD needs to be booted off the roof.
Open Beta gameplay looks like its just COD 6.5 with futuristic gun reskin. Soon as I saw wall jumping in the game .. pressed X to close youtube lol.
My experience so far:
Launch Call of Duty
Select BLOPS 7 Beta which loads a separate application
Update requires restart
Update requires restart
Load shaders - this takes 2 minutes on a Gen 4 nvme
Find a game and people are sliding/jumping/sprinting everywhereI'm getting too old for this.
Similar here except my sixth step was the message (paraphrased)
"where's ya TPM, ya Muppet".Turns out TPM and Secure Boot are required on PC, which is mildly infuriating.
https://support.activision.com/black-ops-7/articles/pc-syste…
This is standard practice now for anti-cheat, and TPM and Secure Boot come enabled by default these days - it shouldn't be a big deal 😎
Is there gonna be more Nicki Minaj and colourful unicorns in it, no thanks.
I'm off to Battlefield 6, looks like they've done their homework this time.
first time since COD 1 that im not buying it
just cant even the sweaty sbmm, disbanding lobbies anymore
I had a go of this last night. The zombies map is great. Has a resident evil sort of vibe.
multiplayer is trash. Complete dumpster fire.
I'm finally done with COD. BF6 beta was briliant compared to this.
Zombies doesn't seem to bad. Not too fussed on the MP though
lol timing seems a last ditch effort to coax some bf6 minded departees, prior to that launching on 10th?
Interesting scorestreaks: Titanfall mech, Eraser style railgun ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQOQ2nT36q4&t=103s
PsychopathicCult on 06/10/2025 - 11:22 Comment score below threshold.
