After Microsoft’s attempt to buy Activision-Blizzard was approved in the US, PlayStation owners began to worry. But it turns out that Microsoft and Sony have reached an agreement for Call of Duty. New Call of Duty titles will continue to be released on PlayStation 5.
Historic PlayStation deal of Microsoft and Sony
Microsoft and Sony have signed a deal to bring the Call of Duty franchise to PlayStation. Sony had long resisted the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, claiming that it would undermine competition. However, PlayStation users will be able to play CoD in comfort for a while yet.
Details of the deal, which was announced by Xbox chief Phil Spencer, are currently unclear. The agreement between Microsoft and Sony is expected to include Call of Duty productions in the first phase. It is unknown whether other games such as Diablo and Overwatch will be exclusive to Xbox.
Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith also made a statement to allay concerns about the acquisition. Smith said that the $69 billion acquisition “will not harm the gaming market”. This means that popular titles will also be released on PlayStation or Nintendo Switch.
Sony was the company most opposed to the sale of Activision-Blizzard. It tried to convince the US and UK competition authorities that it would undermine competition. It also claimed that popular titles such as CoD would be removed from PlayStation. The Microsoft-Sony deal ultimately resolved these concerns.
Although the Microsoft-Activision deal has been approved in the US, uncertainty remains in the UK. The UK’s competition watchdog, which dropped its investigation some time ago, has indicated that it may reopen the matter.
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