Now that the Federal Trade Commission’s halt on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard has been overruled, franchises such as: Call of Duty, Diablo, Crash Bandicoot and more, are being called into question. Sony undoubtedly wants to preserve future Activision games for the PlayStation 5, while Microsoft wants to make a name for itself among the competition. Despite a heavy rivalry between the two multi-national conglomerations, a deal over Call of Duty has officially been reached.
Perhaps the largest franchise in the Activision-Blizzard belt, Call of Duty games have become somewhat of an annual event. FandomWire has even reported on a Call of Duty game by the end 2023, as well as one sometime in 2024. While Microsoft likely wants to establish certain Activision titles as Xbox exclusives, like it has with Bethesda’s Starfield, it appears there is too much money to be made in Call of Duty. It is such a large franchise, making up a significant revenue for both companies, a deal may have always been inevitable. The source of this information comes from a Tweet by Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming.
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
The Microsoft/Sony Call of Duty Deal May Look Good Now, But It’s Just COD and Only for Ten Years
The deal between these two companies will only last ten years, or half the time the franchise has been alive. Although it may be somewhat pessimistic, ten years can go by quickly, and given the rate of speed Call of Duty is moving now, there is no slowing down. It appears Microsoft recognizes this fact, and will be using PlayStation to catapult the company to the other side of its planned acquisition. When the deal is done, Microsoft will not only be competing with Sony, it will be taking money from PlayStation producer as well.
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It has also been revealed Microsoft and Sony have not come to any other agreements over Activision games. This could mean PlayStation will be losing out on future titles, but it could also mean Call of Duty was just the biggest property to be negotiated. The fact this deal was made before papers have even been signed, shows what hangs in the balance. The report that Call of Duty is the only deal made between the two companies, comes from a Tweet by Tom Warren, a reporter for The Verge.
Microsoft has confirmed to The Verge that Sony’s 10-year Call of Duty deal is limited to CoD. Microsoft originally offered to keep “existing Activision console titles on Sony”, including future versions of current Activision games on PS till end of 2027 https://t.co/yq4GadNGAi pic.twitter.com/OtmbylAGv7
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) July 16, 2023
The Tweet includes an email from Phil Spencer to Jim Ryan, which says the following:
“Jim, I’m writing to follow up on our prior discussions about Microsoft’s intent to honor all existing agreements between Activision and Sony, and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. As you’ll recall, on January 31, 2022, I sent you a written agreement with my signature memorializing Microsoft’s commitments to Sony. Among other things, the proposed agreement provided that Microsoft would keep all existing Activision console titles on Sony, including future versions in the Call of Duty franchise or any other current Activision franchise on Sony through December 31, 2027. I’ve said before that this is the right thing to do for gamers and for the industry, and I stand by that”
Thankfully for gamers, existing Activision titles will not be affected on PlayStation. Call of Duty will also get another ten years of life on the platform, which is better than nothing for Sony users. As Microsoft moves forward with the Activision-Blizzard deal, the gaming industry will certainly change and Sony may be looking for a response to this potentially market shifting move.
What do you think of the Call of Duty deal between Sony and Microsoft? Drop a comment and let us know how you think this is going to affect the world of gaming.
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