Sony and Microsoft have made a huge deal to keep the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation for the next 10 years. This deal ends a year-long fight between the two companies, which got worse when Microsoft said in January 2022 that it planned to buy Activision Blizzard.
Sony and Microsoft Reach Agreement for Call of Duty Franchise
Even though Microsoft’s original announcement didn’t say how long the deal would last, Kari Perez, head of global communications at Xbox, has confirmed that it is a 10-year deal. But it’s important to remember that this deal only applies to the Call of Duty series and not to other games by Activision.
We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and @PlayStation have 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.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) July 16, 2023
Since Microsoft’s first offer to Sony, which was to keep all Activision console games on PlayStation until December 31, 2027, the deal’s terms have changed. Now that the agreement has been changed, it only applies to Call of Duty.
At first, Sony didn’t want to make a deal like this with Microsoft because they were worried that the game might only be available on PlayStation or that it might be broken.
But at the FTC vs. Microsoft hearing, Ryan, the head of PlayStation, sent a bombshell email saying that he was sure Call of Duty would stay on PlayStation for years to come.
Sony and Microsoft came to an agreement after months of negotiations and counteroffers. This shows how complicated the talks were about the future of Activision content on PlayStation.
When Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision, met, Ryan said he didn’t like the merger and wanted to stop it. This meeting was a turning point in these talks.
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
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) July 16, 2023
Microsoft has always said that it makes financial sense to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation and that taking it off of Sony’s consoles wouldn’t help. Phil Spencer, who is in charge of Xbox, said under oath in court that Call of Duty will still be available on PlayStation 5.
Now, the focus is on the regulatory situation in the UK, where Microsoft’s proposed deal was blocked earlier this year. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Microsoft have put their legal battles on hold while they talk about possible changes that would address the CMA’s concerns about cloud gaming.
The CMA moved the deadline for its investigation to August 29. This could cause a small delay in the closing of the deal.
As we all eagerly wait for the outcome of these talks, it’s clear that the Call of Duty deal between Sony and Microsoft is a big deal for the gaming industry as a whole. The partnership makes sure that PlayStation players will be able to play the series for the next ten years.
Let us know your thoughts on this historic deal in the comments section below.
