Microsoft and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have conducted a new meeting regarding their attempted $69 billion acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. During the meeting, statements from Jim Ryan, President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, were shared. Ryan stated that if the Microsoft-Activision deal is completed, Sony will not share information about its new PlayStation consoles with Activision.
Sony emphasizes its stance against the Microsoft-Activision deal
Jim Ryan’s statements to the FTC in April are noteworthy. He informed that Sony is not obligated to work with Activision-Blizzard if it is acquired by Microsoft. As a result, he said that they might not share information about new consoles like the PlayStation 6 with the gaming giant.
Sony claims that if Activision is sold, Microsoft could gain access to Sony’s PlayStation development kit. In regards to this matter, Jim Ryan stated, “We cannot risk a company owned by a direct competitor having access to this information.”
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FTC previously addressed Microsoft’s acquisition of Mojang, the developer of Minecraft, in a previous report. Ryan argued that similar concerns arose with Mojang, but Microsoft took no measures. He stated that the $69 billion Activision deal would further complicate matters.
Sony also alleged that PlayStation’s performance in Call of Duty could be intentionally limited. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick described Sony’s behavior as “disappointing” and assured that they would provide the best experience to PlayStation players.
FTC will announce its decision on July 18 after the meeting with Microsoft. During this process, testimonies from several individuals, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, will be heard.
