Microsoft is still in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard, and while regulators are cracking down on Microsoft, PlayStation is turning things up as well.
One of the regulators’ biggest concerns was the idea that certain major game series — notably the Call of Duty franchise, one of the biggest game series in the world — could become platform-exclusive to Xbox as a result of the acquisition. To get ahead of this question, Xbox has said in multiple takes and in multiple ways that Call of Duty will remain available on PlayStation.
While the first statement only said that the series would remain cross-platform for the remainder of the current deal between Activision and PlayStation parent company Sony. On Monday, Xbox President Phil Spencer clarified that Microsoft has signed an offer with Sony to keep the game on PlayStation beyond this deal. According to Sony, this deal was not intended for the public and is still not a guarantee for the future.
“I had no intention of commenting on what I took to be a private business discussion, but I feel the need to set the record straight because Phil Spencer brought this to the public forum,” said Jim Ryan, PlayStation CEO Statement on Games Industry.biz business-oriented website
“Microsoft has only offered to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for three years after the end of the current agreement between Activision and Sony,” Ryan continued. “After almost 20 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation, their proposal fell short on many levels and didn’t take into account the impact on our players. We want to continue to guarantee PlayStation players the highest quality Call of Duty experiences, and Microsoft’s proposal undermines that principle.”
While neither of these deals is set in stone (other than the first, which closed before Microsoft began acquiring Activision Blizzard), both companies have an incentive to continue these semi-public negotiations. It’s a chance for Microsoft to prove to regulators that it’s working with Sony to ensure it doesn’t monopolize franchises like Call of Duty, while giving Sony the opportunity to get a cheaper deal while Microsoft faces some extra pressure .
