In the latest document in the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Microsoft stated that Sony should develop its own Call of Duty competitor instead of relying on the 10-year deal offered by Microsoft. The response comes as part of the ongoing investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Since the beginning of the investigation by regulators, Microsoft has maintained that it will continue to release Call of Duty titles on PlayStation platforms. The company has even offered Sony a 10-year deal similar to those signed by Nvidia and Nintendo in recent months, including full content and feature parity on all platforms. However, Sony has yet to sign the deal and continues expressing concerns over the acquisition.
The primary concern of Sony is that Microsoft may do to Activision Blizzard games what it did to Bethesda games after its acquisition. Sony fears that Microsoft may restrict the release of Activision Blizzard games on the PlayStation platform or reduce their quality.
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As reported by insider-gaming, Microsoft responded that the 10-year period of the proposed deal is sufficient for Sony, a leading publisher and console platform, to develop alternatives to Call of Duty. The company believes that the term will extend into the next console generation and that the practical effect of the remedy will go beyond the 10 years since games downloaded in the final year of the remedy can continue to be played for the console’s lifetime beyond with backward compatibility.
Microsoft’s response clearly indicates that the company believes Sony should not rely on keeping the game series and should instead take this opportunity to develop its own Call of Duty competitor. The gaming industry is highly competitive, and the release of a new Call of Duty title is a major event every year. The franchise has a large and dedicated fan base, and developing a new Call of Duty competitor would be a significant challenge for Sony.
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft and the proposed remedy have sparked much debate in the gaming industry. The ruling from the CMA on the acquisition attempt is expected to be announced on May 22, after the organization moved it back a month from April 25. The outcome of the investigation will have a significant impact on the gaming industry and will shape the future of cross-platform gaming.
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