I know you‘re wondering if you can play Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 for free on your Xbox by using a Game Pass membership.
The short answer is: Unfortunately, Black Ops 4 is not currently available for free with Xbox Game Pass.
To get access to everything Black Ops 4 has to offer, you‘ll need to purchase the game separately.
But don‘t worry! In this post, I‘ll give you all the details on your options for playing Black Ops 4 on Xbox, whether Game Pass includes it for free, and some tips to get the best deal.
As a fellow gaming fan, I want to make sure you have the full scoop so you can enjoy all the great action that Black Ops 4 has to offer!
What‘s the deal with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4?
Let me start by giving you a quick overview of what Black Ops 4 is all about. This will give you an idea of what you can look forward to in the game!
Black Ops 4 is a first-person shooter in the mega-popular Call of Duty franchise. It was released worldwide on October 12, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Some key facts about Black Ops 4:
- It‘s the 15th main Call of Duty game, and the 4th in the Black Ops sub-series.
- Made by Treyarch and published by Activision.
- First COD without a traditional single-player campaign, focused on online multiplayer.
- Features competitive multiplayer, a Battle Royale mode called Blackout, and Zombies co-op.
- Sold over $500 million copies in the first 3 days!
So in a nutshell, you get fast-paced FPS action across a bunch of different multiplayer modes. This offers tons of replay value with friends or solo against others online.
Now let‘s get into the details on how you can (or can‘t) get this absolute unit of a game for free!
Does Xbox Game Pass give you Black Ops 4 at no extra cost?
I know Xbox Game Pass is super tempting with its huge library of games for one low monthly price.
But I have to be the bearer of bad news that Black Ops 4 is not part of the standard Game Pass lineup.
Here‘s a quick rundown of what‘s included with the different Game Pass tiers:
Xbox Game Pass for Console – $9.99/month for access to over 100 Xbox One/Series X/S games.
Xbox Game Pass for PC – $9.99/month for access to over 100 Windows PC games.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $14.99/month for Game Pass on both console & PC, plus Xbox Live Gold and more perks.
Unfortunately, Call of Duty titles are a high-profile omission from Game Pass. You won‘t find recent releases like Black Ops 4 in any of those subscription libraries.
The good news is that Game Pass does include some older CoD games like Call of Duty: WWII and Modern Warfare Remastered.
But if you want to play the newest stuff like Black Ops 4, you‘ll have to buy it separately. I know, I‘m sad about it too!
On the bright side, Game Pass has SO many other amazing games across all genres. So it‘s still 100% worth subscribing to in addition to buying select titles you really want, like Black Ops 4.
But bottom line: don‘t expect to get Black Ops 4 free with standard Xbox Game Pass. Now let‘s look at your options to play it!
Purchasing options to play Black Ops 4 on Xbox
Since Game Pass currently doesn‘t offer Black Ops 4 for free, you‘ll have to grab this awesome game by purchasing it outright.
The good news is that since Black Ops 4 came out back in 2018, you can often find it at huge discounts compared to the $60-70 cost of newer titles.
Here are the best ways to get your hands on Black Ops 4 for Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S:
Microsoft Store – You can buy it digitally right on your Xbox console for $59.99 (Standard) or $99.99 (Deluxe).
Discs from Retailers – Physical copies from Amazon, Walmart, etc. tend to cost $25-30 these days for the Standard Edition. Make sure you get the Xbox One version!
CD Key Sites – CDKeys, Eneba, and sites like that sell digital code redemption keys for even cheaper, usually around $20 or under!
Free Play Days – Limited-time free access for Xbox Live Gold members, keeps an eye out for these promos.
As you can see, you‘ve got options to pick up Black Ops 4 at a fraction of the normal $60 AAA price range. Just shop around and you can probably snag it for $20-30 if you look in the right places!
Trying before you buy: Free Black Ops 4 trial options
I know it‘s hard to commit to buying a game before you‘ve gotten a chance to try it out first.
The good news is Activision sometimes offers limited chances to play Black Ops 4 for free!
Here are a few ways you may be able to test drive the game:
Free Access Weekends – Occasional free multiplayer access for all Xbox owners around holiday weekends.
Limited Trials – Previously offered 2 hour trials to sample all game modes. Keep an eye out if they do this promotion again!
Call of Duty: Warzone – Not the full Black Ops 4 experience, but this free-to-play title includes some of its weapons and items.
Game Rentals – Services like GameFly let you rent games to try before you buy.
Game Sharing – Set up game sharing with a buddy who owns Black Ops 4.
While these free trials are limited, take advantage if you get the chance! But buying the game is the only way to guarantee full unlimited access.
Will Black Ops 4 ever come to Xbox Game Pass?
This is the million dollar question: Will Black Ops 4 ever be added to the Xbox Game Pass lineup for free?
There is hope, but no guarantees. Here are the key points:
- Older Call of Duty titles do get added to Game Pass, but only after several years when sales have died down.
- Activision hasn‘t announced plans to add Black Ops 4 anytime soon. New releases bring in big money.
- Microsoft‘s acquisition of Activision could shake up Game Pass availability down the road.
- Adding Black Ops 4 to Game Pass now would drive engagement, multiplayer population, and microtransaction purchases.
Based on all indications, Black Ops 4 coming to Xbox Game Pass seems unlikely in the near future, but possible further down the road. I‘d absolutely love to see it added to Game Pass for free! But I wouldn‘t count on it as a reason to hold off on buying the game.
What else does Xbox Game Pass offer?
Even though Black Ops 4 isn‘t included, an Xbox Game Pass membership is still totally worth the money for any avid gamer. Here‘s a quick overview:
- Tons of free games spanning Xbox blockbusters, top third party titles, ID@Xbox indies, and PC/cloud gaming.
- Perks like exclusive member discounts, DLC content, and in-game bonuses.
- Xbox exclusives free on day one like Starfield, Elder Scrolls VI, and more!
- Xbox Live Gold and multiplayer access included with Game Pass Ultimate.
- New games added every month so there‘s always something fresh to play.
For just $10-15 bucks a month, you get access to SO much outstanding gaming content. Game Pass is hands down an essential companion to any Xbox owner‘s library.
Even if you have to buy the newest CoD games separately, Game Pass will flood your life with gaming happiness for one low monthly cost. It‘s definitely worth subscribing to Xbox Game Pass regardless!
Weighing the pros and cons of buying Black Ops 4 in 2024
Black Ops 4 originally launched waaaay back in 2018. Is it still worth buying now in 2024? Let‘s weigh the pros and cons:
Pros of getting Black Ops 4:
- Large active player base, especially on PS4
- Zombies mode has a passionate hardcore following
- Gameplay/graphics have held up extremely well
- MUCH lower cost now vs launch ($25-30 compared to $60)
- Tons of content across multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout
Potential cons to consider:
- No story campaign mode
- Smaller player population than newer CoDs
- Slower matchmaking wait times
- Fewer updates and support from devs
- Some lingering bugs and stability issues
- No cross-platform play
Looking at the big picture, I think Black Ops 4 is absolutely still worth buying in 2024 for the stellar gameplay alone. The huge amount of content and lower price now make it a great value.
Just go in with proper expectations around player population compared to new titles. But for fans of Call of Duty multiplayer and Zombies, Black Ops 4 has got plenty left in the tank!
Summing it all up simply
Let‘s recap the key points in plain English before wrapping up:
- Black Ops 4 is NOT free with standard Xbox Game Pass ❌
- You have to purchase it separately to play the full game ✅
- Check CDKeys or other discount sites for cheap prices! 💸
- Limited-time trials periodically offer free access 🔄
- Game Pass itself is awesome and still 100% worth the money 😎
- Black Ops 4 holds up great and is worth buying in 2024 💯
Hopefully this gives you the full rundown so you can decide if and how to play Black Ops 4! Let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy!
