Microsoft is reportedly planning to release the next Call of Duty game on its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

The upcoming Call of Duty game from Microsoft might be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, unlike earlier titles which were sold separately.

Microsoft intends to release the upcoming “Call of Duty” game on its subscription service, marking a shift from its traditional practice of selling the title independently, according to a source familiar with the matter. This announcement is expected at the company’s annual Xbox showcase on June 9. The source requested anonymity due to the private nature of the plans. Microsoft has not yet responded to a Reuters request for comment. The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Friday.

Microsoft acquired “Call of Duty” through its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which was completed late last year. The first-person shooter game is one of the most successful entertainment franchises, having generated over $30 billion in lifetime revenue. In recent years, Activision has consistently released new editions of the game annually, typically priced at around $70 each.

This development follows a recent announcement by Xbox President Sarah Bond, who stated at a conference that the company intends to release all first-party Xbox games on Game Pass on their launch day.

Microsoft operates a subscription service called Game Pass, which provides access to games from Xbox and various other developers for a fee. The company, based in Redmond, Washington, has been aggressively expanding this Netflix-style game subscription service in recent years as part of its strategy to challenge the dominance of PlayStation consoles, made by Japanese rival Sony Corp.

In February, Microsoft reported that Game Pass had 34 million subscribers, an increase from the 25 million reported in 2022. Analysts suggest that adding “Call of Duty” — a franchise with a large and dedicated fan base — to Game Pass could attract more subscribers, though it might impact the game’s overall sales.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III,” released in November 2023, is the second-best-selling game of the year so far, according to industry tracker Circana. It follows Sony’s “Helldivers II” in sales.