Xbox Game Pass gets the latest Call of Duty – you can download it right now

Xbox has finally added a Call of Duty game to Xbox Game Pass, having waited months since its acquisition of the franchise's parent company Activision Blizzard completed.

If you're a Game Pass member you can now download and play Modern Warfare 3, 2023's iteration in the long-running series, with a typically explosive campaign alongside a full multiplayer offering. 

If you're into your COD campaigns then this will scratch that itch handily, as it portrays the continued hunt for evil agitator Vladimir Makorov. This time around there are new more open mission types that give you more freedom to approach an objective how you like, although some players felt these aren't as fun as the more traditional linear mission types of years gone by. 

You'll also be able to hop into a huge multiplayer mode that's evolved over the last seven months or so of live releases and new content. There have been new maps, weapons and operators, so you'll have dozens of each to sink your teeth into and start to develop a feel for. 

Then, of course, there's also the new Modern Warfare Zombies mode, which sees the Zombies experience transplanted onto a huge open-world map instead of the usual tightly-designed warrens. This proved a hit with players in terms of engagement, and there are hours and hours of missions and challenges to tick off if you find yourself addicted to it. 

As Game Pass releases go, this is a big one - a game that still sits at £70 or $70 on most storefronts will now be free for members to play. We also know that the next COD, Black Ops 6, will similarly join the service when it releases at the end of October - although it'll have a slightly more complicated division of who can access what on lower tiers. 

Still, this all suggests that Microsoft is finally starting to flex its muscle where Call of Duty is concerned - which begs one big question. When will we get older games from the series on Game Pass?