Video game giant Electronic Arts has recently announced that it will be acquiring Codemasters to the tune of $1.2 billion. This massive acquisition will further cement Electronic Arts as the premiere game company when it comes to sports/racing titles, as Codemasters has an extensive library of critically-acclaimed racing game franchises that will now fall under the EA umbrella.
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Here’s why EA’s acquisition of Codemasters is going to be good for Xbox Game Pass.
EA Play and Xbox Game Pass
Codemasters Games
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And if EA brings the Codemasters franchises it will be acquiring to EA Play, then that means they will also be available on Xbox Game Pass. Essentially, this means that EA’s acquisition of Codemasters is going to result in yet another big boost for the Xbox Game Pass lineup, ensuring that the subscription service will have an even wider variety of games available in its already massive library.
And while Codemasters has primarily worked on racing games, it’s possible that the cult classicOverlordgames could also be making their way to EA Play and Xbox Game Pass as a result of the acquisition. The originalOverlordand its sequel,Overlord 2, are considered some of the Xbox 360’s most criminally overlooked games, and seeing them added to the Xbox Game Pass/EA Play lineup could give them a much-needed new lease on life.
Xbox Game Pass Will Be Huge in 2021
Assuming EA’s acquisition of Codemasters goes through in early 2021 as planned, that means it could potentially add Codemasters' games to EA Play, and therefore Xbox Game Pass, sooner rather than later. This will be a big, unexpected boost for Xbox Game Pass content in 2021, with next year already looking like it will be one of the best years for Microsoft’s ambitious service to date.
Not only with Xbox Game Pass continue to have major third-party games available on it in 2021, but the service will also be adding most of Bethesda’s catalogue, plus there will be plenty of console-exclusive Xbox games to choose from as well. Things will get started with Bloober Team’sThe Mediumin January, and then later in 2021, fans can look forward to the highly-anticipatedlaunch ofHalo Infiniteas well.
Xbox Game Pass will be expanding its other services in 2021, too. For example, thexCloud streaming servicewill be coming to more devices in 2021, making it much more accessible and putting it in even more direct competition with similar services, like Google Stadia.
So far, it looks like Microsoft’s huge gamble on Xbox Game Pass is paying off in big ways, and it will be interesting to see how the service continues to expand and grow moving forward.
MORE:All the Major Codemasters Games EA Will Own After It Acquires the Company
