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Latest ‘Call of Duty’ Hits New Highs for Players, Xbox Game Pass

(Bloomberg) -- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the biggest release in the long-running blockbuster game series, Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said on Wednesday.

The latest installment of the star attraction in Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard set a record for day-one players as well as Xbox Game Pass subscriber additions, Nadella told analysts on a call after earnings. Released on Friday, the game’s unit sales on the competing PlayStation and Steam platforms also rose 60% on the prior year’s total, the CEO added.

The success of Microsoft’s Activision deal hinges on the popularity of tentpole franchises like Diablo, Overwatch and Call of Duty. Console maker Sony Group Corp. opposed the takeover as it feared the Call of Duty series would eventually be turned into a Microsoft-only exclusive; however, the Xbox maker has said it intends to continue distributing the game widely.

The instant embrace of Black Ops 6 across platforms will be welcome news for Microsoft, which is hoping to leverage its growing portfolio of in-house games and content to make its Xbox Game Pass subscription a must-have for all gamers.

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