Sony and Microsoft agree Call of Duty stays on PlayStation
Monday, 17 July 2023 (14:24 IST)
Microsoft said it signed a deal with Sony that will ensure the Call of Duty series remains available on PlayStation gaming consoles.
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard,the maker of the best-selling Call of Duty games, has has raised concerns that it could lead to anti-competive behavior .
The $68.7 billion (around €61 billion) acquisition deal would would be the biggest of its kind in gaming industry history.
Sony was worried that Microsoft would make Call of Duty and other Activision games exclusive to Xbox.
Sunday's "binding agreement" means that Call of Duty will continue to be released on both the Xbox and the Sony Playstation.
What did Microsoft say?
The news of the deal was announced by Phil Spencer, Microsoft's gaming CEO.
"We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games," Spencer wrote on Twitter.
Microsoft's announcement that it intended to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022 sparked fears and led US and British regulators to pull the brakes on the acquisition's finalization.
Microsoft President Brad Smith said the company was commitment to address any concerns posed by regulators, developers or consumers.
"Even after we cross the finish line for this deal's approval, we will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before," he said on Twitter.
From Day One of this acquisition, we’ve been committed to addressing the concerns of regulators, platform and game developers, and consumers. Even after we cross the finish line for this deal’s approval, we will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on… https://t.co/hMWjC58wRi
