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Xbox Ends Game Pass Call of Duty DLC Discounts, Shifts to Rewards

Last Updated: November 5, 2025

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 logo displayed on an Xbox Game Pass advertisement.

In a landmark policy shift following its historic acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has officially altered how Xbox Game Pass subscribers purchase content for the world's biggest gaming franchise. The long-standing perk of a direct discount on Call of Duty downloadable content (DLC), bundles, and CoD Points has been discontinued.

This major change was confirmed alongside the groundbreaking day-one launch of *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* on the service. Instead of an automatic price reduction, Microsoft is now funneling players toward its integrated Microsoft Rewards program. This move fundamentally redefines the value proposition for dedicated Call of Duty players on the Xbox platform, trading a simple, upfront monetary saving for a more complex, engagement-based incentive system. It’s a calculated decision that reveals Microsoft's strategy for balancing the immense value of Game Pass with the powerful, multi-billion dollar revenue engine of the Call of Duty ecosystem.

The End of a Subscriber Perk

For years, a core benefit of an Xbox Game Pass subscription was the built-in discount on digital purchases. Subscribers consistently enjoyed at least a 10% reduction on full games, DLC, and other add-ons for titles within the Game Pass catalog. This provided a clear, tangible financial benefit that encouraged players to invest deeper into the ecosystem.

Microsoft has now confirmed this policy no longer applies to Call of Duty content. The automatic discount players might have expected when buying the *Black Ops 6* Vault Edition upgrade, future content packs, Battle Passes, or CoD Points bundles has been removed. This is a notable departure from the established norm. The immediate impact is straightforward: purchasing premium Call of Duty content on Xbox now costs the same for subscribers and non-subscribers at the point of sale.

A New Strategy: The Pivot to Rewards

In place of a direct discount, Microsoft is steering players toward its increasingly centralized Microsoft Rewards program. This new system is designed to incentivize active engagement across the entire Xbox ecosystem rather than offering a passive, transactional benefit.

The mechanics are fundamentally different:

  • Active vs. Passive: The previous discount was a passive perk applied automatically at checkout. The new rewards system is active, requiring players to complete specific quests, play designated games, or make purchases to accumulate points.
  • Indirect Value: These earned points can be redeemed for various items, most notably Xbox gift cards, which can then be used to purchase Call of Duty content. This introduces an extra step and makes the "discount" an earned rebate rather than an instant saving.
  • Ecosystem Engagement: This change is a powerful lever to get players more deeply enmeshed in the Microsoft ecosystem. The strategic goal is to convert subscribers into highly active daily users who are not just playing games but are completing weekly challenges and interacting with the platform on a more profound level.

From a business perspective, the shift is clear. It moves the value away from a simple discount and transforms it into a behavioral incentive. By funneling players through the Rewards program, Microsoft can track engagement more effectively and foster loyalty that extends beyond a single franchise.

The Bigger Picture: Balancing Game Pass and a Blockbuster Franchise

This policy change cannot be viewed in isolation. It arrived in the context of Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard and the monumental decision to launch *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* on Game Pass on day one. Providing a brand-new, full-priced Call of Duty title to millions of subscribers represents an enormous upfront value for customers and a calculated sacrifice of billions in traditional game sales for Microsoft.

Removing the DLC discount is the clear countermeasure to balance the books. Microsoft is betting that the unparalleled value of getting the entire base game via subscription is more than enough to offset the loss of a small discount on subsequent purchases. This allows the company to protect the highly lucrative revenue stream from Call of Duty's post-launch content—cosmetic bundles, operator packs, and Battle Pass sales—which forms the financial backbone of the franchise.

This creates a tiered value proposition. The base Call of Duty experience is now more accessible than ever for subscribers, but the most dedicated players who heavily invest in premium content will no longer receive a financial break for their loyalty to the subscription service. It's a delicate balancing act between making Game Pass an irresistible entry point and preserving the profitability of its most valuable new asset.

Conclusion: A New Precedent for the New Xbox

The removal of the Call of Duty DLC discount is more than a minor policy tweak; it's a statement of intent. It demonstrates precisely how Microsoft plans to integrate its largest-ever acquisition into its subscription model: use the core game to drive subscriptions, and leverage the ecosystem's other features to capture full value from post-launch content.

For players, the reaction has been mixed. Many celebrate the unprecedented value of getting a brand-new *Call of Duty* at no extra cost, while dedicated spenders lament the loss of a direct, reliable discount. Ultimately, the success of this strategy hinges on the perceived value of the Microsoft Rewards program. If players feel they can easily earn points that translate into real savings, the change may be widely accepted. If not, it will be seen as the first major compromise in the new era of a Microsoft-owned Call of Duty.