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Exclusive: Microsoft disputes U.K. regulator's key Call of Duty stat

A YouGov survey commissioned by Microsoft in January found that just 3% of all PlayStation users would switch to buying an Xbox if Microsoft pulled Call of Duty from PlayStation, according to a copy of the study shared by Microsoft with Axios.

Jin_Sakai82d ago

A survey doesn’t speak for everyone. Not even close.

1Victor82d ago

Sure way to tip the balance on your favor by asking console players if they’ll buy a over 1.5K pc to play CoD 🤦🏿 and cut the numbers by 4/5 the results of the regulator own findings from 15% to 3%.

porkChop82d ago

What are you talking about? MS didn't ask about PC at all. They focused on consoles because that's what the regulators have been concerned with until now. The UK regulators previously said a large portion of COD gamers would switch to Xbox consoles just for COD. The regulators now know that's not true based on their own survey, so now they want to include PC as well.

IRetrouk81d ago

*Potentially switch is what they alluded to, and unless you ask every single playstation owner that plays cod, you aint getting a real view of people feelings or opinions.

kneon81d ago (Edited 81d ago )

@IRetrouk

They don't need to ask every PlayStation owner to get an accurate number, but they do have to be careful about how the survey respondents are chosen. For example if they disproportionately ask players that don't buy COD then the number will be much lower than it should be.

blackblades82d ago

Surveys are all stupid in general. Be like let's take a survey of 100 people when theres billions of people out there like WTF and that it could be rigged.

EvertonFC82d ago

Exactly, did any of us on N4G fill the survey out? Doubt it

GamingSinceForever81d ago

That’s how statistics work. One can argue the sample size taken but statistics is how a lot of decisions are made.

Gamer_Dude82d ago

Lol! Do you even know what a survey is?

blacktiger81d ago

no, please tell me about it?

1Victor81d ago (Edited 81d ago )

@ pork ¿did you read the article?
By just surveying for consoles they skew the numbers in their favor
From the article: “The CMA’s own survey, conducted by DJS Research in December, estimates that 15% of avid Call of Duty PlayStation players (playing at least 10 hours or spending at least $100 on the series in the past year) would switch to Xbox.
The U.K.’s survey found that a hypothetical loss of Call of Duty to Xbox and PC would send 9% of avid Call of Duty PlayStation players to buy a PC, for a total of 24% switching from PlayStation to another platform.
Microsoft’s survey, was focused on console switching.”
¿Does that makes it clearer for you?

343_Guilty_Spark81d ago

Surveys are designed speak for a “sample” of “everyone” within a given population - since it would be impossible to ask everyone. Learn how statistics work.

DarXyde81d ago

It's not impossible to ask everyone within a population. That is called a census.

Also, while they can speak more definitively for a sample within a given population, the point of these surveys is to extrapolate to the population of interest from said sample (the "inferential" part of inferential statistics). So, if the sampling was done correctly (highly unlikely and I'm very inclined to believe this was done via convenience sampling), it's supposed to accurately draw conclusions about population.

DarXyde81d ago (Edited 81d ago )

Well, statistics and all that. The idea is to be able to make determinations about the population, hence, *inferential* statistics.

That said, I downloaded and reviewed the CMA's instrument in the Axios link and it's quite thorough, but I do believe it's a bit leading based on how the some of the items are framed.

I'm curious to see Microsoft's instrument which, at the time of writing, I cannot find.

To your point, Jin _Sakai, there is the most important question: what demographic info is available for respondents? If they did a study like this in, say, Japan, of course you're not going to get a high proportion of people switching for Call of Duty.

In this case, I'm thinking Microsoft is doing something malfeasant.

silkylove81d ago

The CMA used a survey to come to their conclusion. Think it’s fair game for Microsoft to use a survey to challenge that conclusion.

DarXyde81d ago

Of course it's fair, but methodology matters. We know what survey was given to the CMA respondents, we don't know about Microsoft's respondents. Since Microsoft is the one looking to make the acquisition, I suspect there are some issues with how the questions are asked to support their narrative. CMA to their credit had it handled by an independent consultancy firm and the survey looks pretty good overall.

In both cases, I would like to know WHO was asked as well. Knowing Microsoft, I think it's fair to believe they intentionally sought out a sample that doesn't care much for Xbox. Very likely we're looking at some level of data manipulation my Microsoft.

Again though, it's fair for them to do a survey as well, but given how much they have to lose, some of us are unconvinced this was done with objectivity.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 81d ago
shadowT82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

"according to a copy of the study shared by Microsoft"

XiNatsuDragnel82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

According to Microsoft... I don't know about surveys in this case since the bia can be immaculate imo

MrDead82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

"but can't we buy the industry and spend billions on games that are already coming to our system just to take them away from our closest competition...waaahh"

"What they’re saying: “As we have said all along: it makes zero business sense to take Call of Duty off of PlayStation,” Rima Alaily, the corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Competition Law Group, tells Axios."

Well you did it to Bethedas biggest console market, we already know you're word is worth very little MS.

...I wonder how long It'll be before MS start banning games off of other platforms like Steam? They need Steam for Starfield sales, but will they lock future already established IP's to Gamespass? From what we've see so far it wouldn't surprise me, they are 100% low and scummy enough to do it.

Outside_ofthe_Box82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

Good Guy Microsoft are protecting us from Tencent, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google by buying up Bethesda and Activision. Hopefully they buy up EA and Take2 next to further protect us. /s

badz14982d ago

they are in the exclusive Trillion club. theoretically, they can save us from the evil Tencent by buying the gaming industry whole, Sony and Nintendo included! go for it MS, be the gaming savior you're so destined to be!

/s

Flakegriffin81d ago

Can’t wait for the monthly Microsoft march to show how thankful I am for them.

richardmmorales82d ago

They didn't do it with Bethesda. Even the EU commission said they didn't when the FTC tried to say they did.

crazyCoconuts81d ago

dead is referring to MS taking Bethesda titles that were slated for cross platform and make them exclusive, which they are doing - Starfield was already in the works and would have been cross platform. Phil hasn't announced anything but hinted that the next elder scrolls may be a console exclusive as well

crazyCoconuts81d ago

I've been wondering about the market place as well - MS usually keeps plodding along in either copying others success or buying it. They stopped trying to make Windows Store better, but it's not in their MO to just let Steam and Epic take their cut. I've got to think they're letting Epic and Steam battle it out and try to acquire the winner at some point in the future. They are the second biggest company in the world - what seems to us as unbridled ambition is just another day in the park for them.

The3faces81d ago

Seriously? Are you even aware that Sony was trying to buy Starfield exclusivity before MS bought Bethesda?

crazyCoconuts81d ago

@faces - No I didn't know that. Looking up the reference they were allegedly trying to negotiate timed exclusivity.
Will Starfield be a timed exclusive for Xbox? No. Do you know how expensive a timed exclusive on the next Elder Scrolls would be for Sony? I doubt they'd be able to pull that off. Could MS make it completely exclusive to Xbox and eat the cost? Sure. They're like.... really big.

blacktiger81d ago

I always hated Microsoft just recently I stop buying anything related to microsoft except windows but that im turning to steam os

zaanan81d ago

Weasel words. All they have to say is “we will not take it off Playstation,” but that is the one thing they are Not saying. I wonder why…?

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 81d ago
MadLad82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

People have been begging Sony to buy companies like Square Enix. Have no issues money is being put out just to keep Final Fantasy titles off of other consoles. They're not even funding the studios and projects, just paying to keep them to themselves.

Why is Microsoft a monster when they're actually trying to buy a company; and are willing to actually offer deals to bring titles to the competition's consoles?

Outside_ofthe_Box82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

You ask and say the same thing over and over.

FF titles are timed. Other projects where Sony actually does fund with their own money like Spiderman you still complain that they are exclusive 🤷‍♂️. But then are okay with Microsoft buying publishers whose games are already on their console and are taking away games from the competition. CoD is one game which they are bringing to other platforms for 10 years, but the other games they aren't. Bethesda games they aren't bringing to competition consoles.

MadLad82d ago (Edited 82d ago )

So your point is Sony simply paying to keep games off of other platforms for the stem of time it literally becomes irrelevant is fine is actually better than purchasing and supporting the IP, funding it, and distributing it is somehow wrong.

Yes. Sony does fund the Spiderman game series. Also from a company that was always an indie company that said they never wanted to be bought, and worked with other companies. Now other console platforms will never have access to their games.

Activision Blizzard openly want to be bought out. So where's the point you're trying to make where one is fine and one is wrong? Where does the wrong start?

shinoff218382d ago

Why do you guys keep bringing up final fantasy Luke ms doesn't have exclusives deals with 2rd party devs. Also one game here and there is far far different then buying up publishers plus 3rd party exclusives. Buying publishers is literally taking 10s of 100s of games off the competition.

MadLad82d ago

And Square Enix basically owns the JRPG market, outside of Persona.

There's literally jokes about how FF and Dragon Quest games should just be Nation holidays because of how many people call off when a release comes out.

Hofstaderman82d ago

They don’t even buy Final Fantasy titles. Just more straws they trying to grasp.

Extermin8or3_82d ago

Ark 2 and stalker 2 say hello. MS do have deals with 2nd/3rd party devs.

-Foxtrot82d ago

“ People have been begging Sony to buy companies like Square Enix”

Yeah like now after MS changes the entire game and bought TWO publishers

Now all bets are off, course people are going to fine with Sony buying Square or Capcom in peoples minds it would be them levelling the playing field

If they did buy them none of us could say shit because MS started this trend. It’s like Pandora’s box.

Asplundh81d ago

Sony bought the gaming plublisher Psygnosis in 1993, long before Microsoft entered the race, Sony opened that box.

-Foxtrot81d ago

Psygnosis? Lol

That was so long ago and most of the games they did were not AAA massive franchises. It seemed they were out of their luck and going down the drain anyway.

The industry was also totally different back then

It’s not a good comparison it’s such a stretch compared to Zenimax

Come on man…

Asplundh81d ago

A streach how? They bought a well known plublisher. Saying Psygnosis was not as valuable as ActiBlizz or the deal happening some time ago doesn't just erase that it happened.

CrimsonWing6982d ago (Edited 82d ago )

They’re not. Look, let’s be real, this became a fanboy war. If Sony was acquiring Activision/Blizzard it’d be praises galore. Microsoft didn’t even approach Activision, Activision literally came to Microsoft about the acquisition.

Instead all I see is Microsoft bad for the industry, blah blah blah. And Sony is only concerned for a single fu**ing franchise. They couldn’t give two sh*ts about the other IPs.

Nobody here knows what a monopoly is, yet they throw it out. Nobody here knows about law, I mean Geezus I literally had to explain discovery in another topic where people were saying Sony doesn’t have to show evidence in court to back their claim. Well, surprise surprise the damn judge thinks they do and they now have to.

You think people buy PlayStations for COD alone? No, they don’t and if Microsoft gets COD massive amounts of people aren’t going to all of a sudden flock over to Xbox ONLY. They’ll probably buy an Xbox JUST for COD and play everything else on Sony or buy it on PC.

Listen, I own the big 3. PS5 is my primarily and will probably stay that way because their exclusives smoke Xbox’s, but for chrissakes listen to the analysts when they say this deal is going through and there’s nothing illegal about it. Stop being fanboys, do some research, and open your eyes.

Crows9082d ago

Except it wasnt praises galore when they bought bungie so youre purely speculating and ignoring other similar scenarios.

Extermin8or3_82d ago

Sony definitely care about the other IP their lawyers just clearly believe that their best chance of stopping the deal lies in the call of duty argument.

Chevalier82d ago

Really?! For the millionth time FF at least has games coming to Xbox can you say the same about Bethesda games? No.

Not seeing a single complaint about Bethesda games being locked out now are you? Damn hypocrite.

Crows9082d ago

Except people do have issue with that.

Extermin8or3_82d ago

You clearly didn't read the statement from the lead devs other day? That FF16 is timed exclusive for 6 months. Without sonys contribution of developers and engineers- yhe game would still be years away from release.

richardmmorales82d ago

Because Sony Fanboys are hypocrites just like Sony has been with this whole Activision Blizzard King deal.

SoulWarrior81d ago

Oh look, the same false equivalency lol.

edeprez81d ago

Just call of duty isn't it? As far as I'm aware of that's all they're offering. AB are big publishers with huge catalogs of games.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 81d ago