Microsoft news recap: Xbox Game Pass Family & Friends launches in 2 countries, Adoption Score launched for Microsoft 365, and more

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

Microsoft likely bringing Overwatch, Diablo, and Call of Duty to Game Pass

In a statement responding to a UK regulator’s plan to look at Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition more closely, Phil Spencer noted that titles such as Overwatch, Diablo, and Call of Duty, would come to Xbox Game Pass, as it’s Microsoft’s intention to do so.

Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family launches in 2 countries

The Friends & Family Xbox Game Pass plan has launched in 2 countries this week. Available in Ireland and Columbia, it allows 5 individual people access to the subscription, representing good value when compared to the cost of 5 separate subscriptions.

Xbox’s Phil Spencer releases statement addressing UK regulator’s Activision Blizzard acquisition concerns

As noted earlier, Phil Spencer released a statement in response to the UK’s competition regulator, the CMA, saying it may look at the Activision Blizzard acquisition more closely after raising concerns. Spencer said:

We are expanding choice in two ways: through the creation of Game Pass, which gives players a subscription option; and by bringing more games to mobile platforms.

Bringing more games to mobile platforms, however, requires new capabilities. The expertise that the teams at Activision Blizzard bring in developing games for mobile platforms will help us understand how to create games that engage players around the world.

Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 20, 2022

Microsoft launches Adoption Score to help customers optimize Microsoft 365 subscriptions

To help IT admins understand adoption of their Microsoft 365 subscriptions across their organisation, Adoption Score has been launched, designed to help highlight anonymised metrics showing usage patterns, to provide data to encourage organisations to make use of their subscriptions to the full extent possible.

That’s it for this week. We will be back next week with more Microsoft news.