Microsoft and Sony have ended their year-long disagreement by signing a deal that guarantees the continued availability of Call of Duty on PlayStation. This resolution follows a period of public and private contention that initiated when Microsoft announced its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard.
The agreement will likely be similar to the long-term contracts Microsoft has negotiated with rival companies, including a 10-year pact with Nintendo and multiple agreements with cloud gaming platforms, all aimed at extending the reach of Call of Duty.
Following Microsoft’s initial proposition of a 10-year contract in December 2022, Sony showed signs of resistance towards solidifying a deal concerning Call of Duty. According to regulatory filings, Sony has consistently expressed apprehension that Microsoft might leverage the acquisition of Activision Blizzard to make Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox or even deliberately degrade the quality of PlayStation versions.
These concerns have been acknowledged and addressed in public statements made by Microsoft’s top executives. In a tweet, Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, announced: “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.”
Microsoft’s President, Brad Smith, also took to Twitter to express Microsoft’s commitment to consumer interests and market regulations, saying, “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.”
