Wars are still being fought over the fallout of Microsoft's mammoth acquisition of Activision Blizzard back in January. Specifically, what will happen to the industry-leading Call of Duty franchise. Though Microsoft has stated several times its intention to continue releasing Call of Duty on PlayStation, PlayStation head Jim Ryan has remained unpleased with the situation.

In a statement to The Verge, Xbox head Phil Spencer revealed that, following Microsoft's offer to buy Activision Blizzard, they provided Sony with a signed, written statement that they would continue to put Call of Duty on PlayStation with full content and feature parity and on the same day as other platforms, for "at least several more years" following the end of Sony's current contract with Activision Blizzard, which he boasted was "well beyond typical gaming industry agreements." It's not currently known how many games are covered by Sony's current deal with Activision Blizzard.

Ryan shot back at Microsoft in a statement released to GamesIndustry.biz, calling Microsoft's offer "inadequate on many levels." Microsoft's proposal only extended the current offer for three years, which Ryan felt undermined their ability to provide PlayStation players with a top-quality Call of Duty experience. He also expressed some frustration with feeling compelled to make a public statement, adding "I hadn’t intended to comment on what I understood to be a private business discussion, but I feel the need to set the record straight because Phil Spencer brought this into the public forum."

Meanwhile, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority has decided that its investigation into the Activision Blizzard acquisition will require a more-detailed "phase 2" investigation to see if the deal could seriously impact Sony's ability to compete fairly in the UK, believing that Call of Duty alone is a big enough console seller. Sony, speaking again to GamesIndustry.biz, celebrated the announcement, declaring that "by giving Microsoft control of Activision games like Call of Duty, this deal would have major negative implications for gamers and the future of the gaming industry. We want to guarantee PlayStation gamers continue to have the highest quality gaming experience, and we appreciate the CMA's focus on protecting gamers." Microsoft shot back with a terse statement to Eurogamer, simply stating "it makes zero business sense for Microsoft to remove Call of Duty from PlayStation given its market leading console position."

 

[The Catboy]

Really should be more of a battle over antitrust. Microsoft is literally trying to create another monopoly

 

[relauby]

Really should be more of a battle over antitrust. Microsoft is literally trying to create another monopoly

I think Jim Ryan is hitting this so hard publicly to rile up the CMA and end the acquisition. That's really the smartest thing he can do. Kinda like how Phil Spencer slammed Activision Blizzard publicly several times which (I assume) impacted their value and made it a little bit easier for him to sweep in and buy them up.

 

[RedColoredStars]

Wish they'd just let the shit series die already and be done with it.

 

[Plazorn]

COD X HALO

 

[Reploid]

Totally talentless and dull conveyor belt, yet it matters because it sells.

 

[LightBeam]

Really should be more of a battle over antitrust. Microsoft is literally trying to create another monopoly

They're just getting meaningful exclusives just like Sony used to
It's just that Sony knows Call of Duty being exclusive will hurt them. All these people who only buy their yearly CoD and Fifa will have to get an Xbox and Ryan gets mad

Microsoft getting Zenimax and Activision/Blizzard leads nowhere close to a monopoly. With companies like Ubisoft, Tencent, EA, Square Enix and so on and so forth. The author of the article is right, it's about Call of Duty, Sony do not give a fuck about antitrust

I don't consider myself a « pro-Xbox » or something, but I just want to see this deal being finalized so not-only there will be no reason to buy the yearly CoD if it's on gamepass, but also because maybe it'll show Sony that it might be time to stop being garbage. They won't fix their prices in Europe, they even made their console more expensive « because of the inflation » (yet nobody else did, and they don't up the price in the US themselves, so the console AND the games AND the controllers and accessories are even more expensive). So fuck Sony, they deserve a slap and this might teach them a lesson

 

[uha666]

I would be more worried about the embracer group.

 

[Purple_Heart]

Call Of Duty: Master Chiefs Warfare -----when?

 

[LainaGabranth]

The new CoD looks fucking sick tbh. Would love to see it be a PC exclusive just so these shit consoles can quit holding the series back.

 

[SilverWah]

Why does this feel like two spoiled twats fighting over expensive kids toys

 

[LainaGabranth]

Why does this feel like two spoiled twats fighting over expensive kids toys

Because that's all it is. Two rich scumfucks who underpay their workers are mad that they can't use other people's labor as an investment to get themselves richer.

 

[xdarkx]

Really should be more of a battle over antitrust. Microsoft is literally trying to create another monopoly

Of course there is some antitrust issues whenever Microsoft acquires a company, but if Sony does it, nothing is wrong. /s

Meanwhile, Embracer Group slowly acquires more gaming studios, and Tencents invest large sums of money to several gaming companies.

 

[adamsef]

I just wanna play riiiidge racer

 

[ShadowOne333]

As if Sony isn't doing any shady bullshit either.
What about their so called "negotiations" where they basically lock down any release of a specific franchise for a whole year into PlayStation before they can even be ported to anything else?
Talk about hypocrisy. Sony can fuck off, they should be grateful that at least Microsoft is offering them still some years of Activision titles with no year-exclusivity like the shit they pull.

 

[CeeDee]

Call of Duty of all things being the part of this acquisition governments are getting hung up over is ridiculous. Call of Duty is absolutely not essential to Sony's existence, and Microsoft's already established they intend to keep it on Sony.

I'd understand if there were other concerns with the acquisition, but it doesn't sound like they're being talked about - it's apparently literally just COD. Absolutely asinine.

 

[CoolMe]

As if Sony isn't doing any shady bullshit either.
What about their so called "negotiations" where they basically lock down any release of a specific franchise for a whole year into PlayStation before they can even be ported to anything else?
Talk about hypocrisy. Sony can fuck off, they should be grateful that at least Microsoft is offering them still some years of Activision titles with no year-exclusivity like the shit they pull.

Exactly. And that's when they ever allow these games to be ported to other platforms (looking at you Bloodborne).. TBH MS should've made CoD an exclusive just to stick it to them.

 

[tech3475]

I'd understand if there were other concerns with the acquisition, but it doesn't sound like they're being talked about - it's apparently literally just COD. Absolutely asinine.

Activision (not including Blizzard) is practically just COD at this point bar the odd exception. I also know people who ONLY play annual titles like COD, so as stupid as it may sound I can see why Sony has concerns.

That said, I am curious about how MS would handle Activision's other IP, as bad as MS can be at handling studios it would be nice to see games from IP Activision owns but can't be bothered with e.g. Crash Bandicoot.

 

[xdarkx]

In case anyone is curious, the reason why Sony is so worry about CoD might not be on Playstation after the acquisition is because the franchise makes them a buttload of money and that's all.

 

[Jayro]

Oh my fucking gawd, just put it on all systems, assholes... Switch included.