PlayStation fans can let out a breath of relief after the news that Xbox and Sony have signed an agreement to keep Call of Duty on both platforms, following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
[Related: Top 10 Call of Duty Campaigns]
Microsoft captured widespread attention in early 2022 by announcing an ambitious plan to acquire Activision Blizzard. As a highly esteemed gaming company, Activision Blizzard holds a significant position in the global market. Microsoft’s proposed acquisition price of $68.7 billion (~£50.5 billion) further accentuated the magnitude of the news, solidifying its status as a groundbreaking deal that left an indelible mark on the gaming industry’s timeline.
Concerns have revolved around the possible repercussions for market dominance within the console gaming industry. Regulatory authorities contend that Microsoft might choose to make Activision Blizzard’s games, such as the immensely popular Call of Duty series, exclusive to its own consoles. Such a move could potentially undermine competition with Sony and Nintendo, posing a threat to their market positions. Additionally, apprehensions have arisen regarding the potential influence on market share within the rapidly expanding cloud gaming sector.
The purchase of Activision marks another significant investment by Microsoft, which has already made substantial financial commitments in the past. Microsoft currently holds ownership of renowned companies in the gaming industry, including 343 Industries, the developer of the popular Halo franchise, Obsidian Entertainment, Playground Games, the studio behind the Forza series, and ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda, for which Microsoft paid over $6 billion. Nevertheless, the acquisition of Activision would surpass all previous acquisitions, solidifying its position as Microsoft’s most substantial purchase to date.
With the looming deadline of July 18th just a few days away, time is of the essence. Failure to finalize the deal by this date would result in Xbox being obligated to pay a substantial sum of $3 billion to Activision Blizzard. In such an event, the possibility of renegotiating the terms of their merger remains open; however, no official statements have been made regarding this hypothetical scenario.
However, on July 16, 2023, Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, announced on Twitter the news, sharing that he is looking forward to a future for players to have more choices about where they want to play their games.
Though, it has been said before that Microsoft had no intentions to withhold Call of Duty from PlayStation consoles should the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for through, Spencer has confirmed under oath. “I would raise my hand. I will do whatever it takes,” Spencer said in court. “We have no plan. I’m making a commitment standing here that we will not pull Call of Duty – it is my testimony – from PlayStation.”
“As you said, Sony obviously has to allow us to ship the game on their platform,” he continued. “But absent any of that, my commitment is, and my testimony is that we will continue to ship future versions of Call of Duty on Sony’s PlayStation 5.”
His tweet eased many worries, confirming to the world that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a “binding agreement” to keep Call of Duty on both platforms for the following years to come.
Spencer did not provide any additional information regarding the specifics of the “binding agreement,” leaving uncertainty about its duration and contents. Nonetheless, this agreement comes in the wake of Microsoft’s Federal Trade Commission trial, during which Spencer expressed his commitment to taking necessary measures to ensure the availability of Call of Duty on the PlayStation platform.
His statement is just one of the ways Microsoft is working to finally close its $68.7 billion deal in attempts to appease FTC and CMA, two groups who have been against the acquisition.
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