How to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Game Pass

A year of plenty.

Black Ops 6 logo key art
Image via Activision

After months of uncertainty about whether Black Ops 6 would be playable on Xbox Game Pass, Call of Duty fans have just received great news.

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More details about the game’s release date, platforms, and availability were revealed at the June 9 Xbox Games Showcase. We now know exactly what Game Pass users can expect out of the new CoD game.

Read on for a full breakdown of when and how you can play Black Ops 6 on Xbox Game Pass.

Will Black Ops 6 be on Game Pass?

vault edition COD Black Ops 6
It’s beautiful. image via Treyarch

The next CoD installment will hit digital shelves on Oct. 25, and it’s going to be available from day one on Xbox Game Pass—but there are specific stipulations.

If you play on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, you will need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to play all of the modes that Black Ops 6 has to offer. If you only have Xbox Game Pass Console, you will only be able to access the campaign and you won’t be able to play Zombies or multiplayer. If you want to play campaign, Zombies, and multiplayer with Xbox Game Pass Console, you will also need Xbox Game Pass Core.

If you play on PC, you must have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass and the game will only be accessible via the Microsoft Store, meaning it can’t be played via Steam or Battle.net. Additionally, if you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you’ll receive automatic early access to the game’s beta coming in summer 2024.

How to play Black Ops 6 on Game Pass

It’s a little bit confusing, so here’s a full breakdown:

Game Pass typeXbox Game Pass ConsolePC Game PassXbox Game Pass Ultimate
Black Ops 6 accessBlack Ops 6 campaign ONLY on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One (add Xbox Game Pass Core to access Zombies and multiplayer)Black Ops 6 campaign, Zombies, and multiplayer on PC via Microsoft Store/Xbox appBlack Ops 6 campaign, Zombies, and multiplayer on PC, Xbox Series X|S, or Xbox One

Basically, if you want to play everything BO6 has to offer, you should sign up for an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. If not, you may be limited in what you can play and what platform you can play it on.

Surprisingly, the game is going to be available on Xbox One in addition to the newer Xbox Series X|S and PC. While the game is also releasing on PS4 and PS5, you obviously won’t be able to play through a Game Pass subscription on either of these consoles.

For a full explanation of Game Pass, its different tiers, and all of its pricing options, check out the official Xbox Game Pass website for all of the information you need.

So long as you’re on Xbox or PC and you follow the restrictions above, you’ll be able to enjoy access to Black Ops 6 on Game Pass as soon as the game releases on Oct. 25.

Author
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Pierce Bunch
Freelance writer and jack-of-all-games.
Author
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Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.