Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (October 23)
Xbox has been telling Game Pass subscribers that the game won't be on the service at launch and that a separate purchase is needed. The details below are what matter for Xbox and PC players.
- Platforms: The game arrives October 23, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC through Steam, Battle.net and the Xbox app, and Nintendo Switch 2. It will not release on PS4 or Xbox One.
- Play Anywhere: Xbox Wire describes it as an Xbox Play Anywhere title. The Xbox console and Xbox PC versions are covered by that program. Xbox Wire's DMZ coverage says console and PC players can play at no additional cost.
- Early access: Preorders include Campaign Early Access starting October 16.
- Loyalty discount: Xbox lists 10% off the Vault Edition for eligible players. To qualify, you must own and have played a listed earlier Call of Duty title on the same Xbox account. The offer is for preorders only and runs through October 23.
- PC requirement: Xbox's listing notes that TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required on PC. Windows gamers should check those settings before launch day.
- DMZ: Xbox Wire says the DMZ extraction mode launches alongside Modern Warfare 4 on the same date.
What the Game Pass change actually means
This is not Call of Duty leaving Game Pass. Xbox said in April that, starting with Modern Warfare 4, new Call of Duty titles would reach Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass about a year later, around the next holiday season. The in-app notice reportedly says Game Pass availability starts Holiday 2027. Treat that as reported by PC Gamer-style outlets such as PCGamesN and Insider Gaming from the notification, not as a formal catalog guarantee.
The Pure Xbox author thinks skipping Game Pass should in theory lead to more sales. That is plausible, but it is unproven. Some Game Pass players will buy anyway. Others will wait a year. A launch spread across four platform families, including Switch 2, also means Xbox's share of any revenue is unknown.
World of Warcraft: Forever (November 4)
Pure Xbox counts this as an Xbox first-party game because Blizzard is part of Microsoft. It is a PC title, and Pure Xbox says it is not coming to Series X|S "at least for now."
Here is what Blizzard and Xbox Wire have confirmed:
- Launch: Blizzard's panel recap says it launches globally on November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST, with beta beginning September 17. That date comes from Blizzard's own recap. New raids unlock on December 9.
- Content: Xbox Wire says it is a third way to play alongside Modern and Classic, set in the Vanilla era. It lists three new zones, over 1,000 new quests, nine new dungeons, two new raids and the new Skyborne race.
- Controller support: Blizzard's recap lists official gamepad support among its player-choice options, alongside opt-in transmog, modern and Classic visual presets, and HD and SD character models.
- Progression: Blizzard names Legacy progression for leveling and alts. It also names Camping, where players craft campfires that others can stop by to contribute professions and share buffs.
Controller support is not a console port
Pure Xbox says the controller support apparently makes the game "a dream" on the ROG Xbox Ally X, and it suggests a console version may follow. The Ally X is a Windows handheld, so that fits a PC-first launch. No source I found confirms a Series X|S version, a port, or console exclusivity. Gamepad support and a console release are separate claims.
The "strong start" claim
Pure Xbox leans on remarks from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Windows Central reports that, in an internal town hall on October 6, she called Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons 2 and World of Warcraft: Forever "strong" starts and cited a 30% rise in positive brand sentiment over the past year. Windows Central says the transcript was shared with it and verified by trusted sources.
Two cautions apply:
- This is an executive's statement in an internal meeting, not a published survey. No methodology, sample or measurement period has been disclosed.
- WoW: Forever had not fully launched when she spoke. "Strong start" is not a disclosed sales or subscription metric. It could refer to announcement response, beta interest or something else.
Windows Central also clarified that Sharma's growth chart referred specifically to first-party games, meaning titles Xbox owns and publishes.
Where this leaves readers
- Console and PC players: Buy Modern Warfare 4 at launch or wait roughly a year for Game Pass. Check Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 on PC.
- Handheld PC owners: WoW: Forever has official gamepad support, but no console version is announced.
- Business watchers: "Most lucrative" is a forecast. The two games show different strategies: a paid multiplatform blockbuster outside Game Pass, and a PC-first Blizzard title built for a long run.
No verified comparative revenue, subscription forecast or console commitment exists for either game. The decisive evidence will be the first sales and player numbers after November 4.