May 17 (Reuters) - Microsoft ( MSFT ) plans to release

the coming installment of the "Call of Duty" videogame to its

subscription service, in a departure from its longtime practice

of only selling the title independently, a source familiar with

the matter said on Friday.

The move is expected to be announced at the company's annual

Xbox showcase, scheduled for June 9, the person said on the

condition of anonymity as the plans are private.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) did not immediately respond to a Reuters request

for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on

Friday.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) acquired "Call of Duty" through its buyout of

Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal, which closed late

last year.

The first-person shooter video-game is among the most

successful entertainment properties and has generated more than

$30 billion in lifetime revenue.

Activision has long released new editions of the game

annually priced at around $70 each in recent years.

The development comes just days after Xbox President Sarah

Bond said in a conference the company plans to release all

first-party Xbox games on Game Pass on the day of their launch.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) manages a subscription service called Game Pass,

which offers access to games from Xbox and other developers for

a fee.

The Redmond, Washington-based company has tried to build out

the Netflix-style game subscription services aggressively in

recent years as part of its efforts to break the dominance of

PlayStation consoles made by Japanese rival Sony Corp.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) said in February Game Pass had 34 million

subscribers, up from the 25 million it reported in 2022.

Analysts said the launch of "Call of Duty" - a franchise

with a large and loyal fan base - would help draw more people to

Game Pass but could affect the overall sales generated by the

title.

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III", released in November

2023, is the second-best selling game so far this year. It

trails Sony's ( SONY ) "Helldivers II", according to industry tracker

Circana.