Source: Infinity Ward / Call of Duty
The FTC vs. Microsoft court drama is finally concluding, with Xbox getting what it wants in acquiring Activision Blizzard and even playing nice with PlayStation over Call of Duty.
Hallelujah, after appealing the initial decision by Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, Microsoft got its long-sought-after victory, allowing the company to move forward with its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, pending what happens with the CMA.
Along with the excellent news, Xbox announced it had reached a deal with PlayStation to keep Call of Duty on PS consoles for at least the next ten years.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer shared the good news in a tweet, writing, “We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and @PlayStationhave signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games.”
In a quote retweet of Spencer’s announcement, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President, said, “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 more platforms and for more consumers than ever before.”
Other Activision Blizzard Games Will Be Exclusive To Xbox Once The Ink Dries
Per Tom Warren’s reporting, the deal between Microsoft and PlayStation is only for Call of Duty and not the other titles in Activision’s library.
So that means games like Crash Bandicoot and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater will be exclusive to Xbox. Warren reports that Microsoft offered “existing Activision console titles on Sony” until the end of 2027.
Well, at least PS5 owners will get their fix of Call of Duty for the foreseeable future. We guess Jim Ryan got what he wanted out of his posturing, and barring any massive fallout with the CMA negotiations, Microsoft got what it wanted.
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Photo: Infinity Ward / Call of Duty
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