Insider Reveals: Call of Duty Developers View Game Pass Price Hike as a Positive Move

The recent price hike for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has sparked a wave of outrage among gamers, but not everyone sees it as a negative development. According to insider GhostofHope, some developers of Call of Duty view Microsoft’s decision in a positive light—especially those studios whose games have been available on the subscription since their release.

In July, the price of Game Pass Ultimate increased from $19.99 to $29.99 per month, prompting many users to switch to different plans or even abandon the service altogether. Despite this, the mood within Activision is reportedly quite optimistic, according to the insider.

GhostofHope

The insider mentioned that the atmosphere surrounding the development of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has noticeably improved. «A few months ago, the leadership was dissatisfied, but now the mood is much more upbeat,» they added.

Meanwhile, not everyone shares the developers’ optimism regarding CoD. Earlier this year, Raphael Colantonio, the founder of Arkane Studios, described Game Pass as an “unstable and destructive model for the industry,” which clashes with traditional methods of game distribution. Additionally, Microsoft recently reported a 29% drop in console sales in the first quarter of the 2026 financial year.