Following the intense legal battle against the Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft came out on top and removed what could be considered the last real barrier to acquiring Activision Blizzard. There is still the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority to contend with, but Microsoft and Xbox are looking confident.
It was just minutes ago that Xbox’s Phil Spencer hit the newswire revealing an all-new binding agreement between Microsoft and PlayStation that’ll ensure Call of Duty remains on PlayStation moving forward.
So, Are We All Friends Now?
It’s not immediately clear if it’s a ten-year deal, like the ones that were signed with Nintendo a while back – or if it’s a permanent offering, but it’s a step in the right direction. For the longest time, one of the biggest concerns of this record $69 billion acquisition was the suggestion that Microsoft would be able to control some of the biggest franchises in gaming – notably Call of Duty – and it’d have the power to strip the series from PlayStation’s platforms.
In confident words, Phil Spencer spoke about signing this landmark agreement ‘following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard’. So, in his mind, it’s already a done deal.
Expanding on the topic, the Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, Brad Smith, went public highlighting that it was always the intention of Microsoft to ‘remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before’.
This news is a welcome topic following several months of ongoing debates, cases, depositions, and statements issued across the wire by some of the biggest tech and gaming firms on Earth. It has been a long road, but we’re nearing its end.
For more Insider Gaming news, check out our coverage of the suggestion that Payday 3 has an always online requirement
It was always the intent of Microsoft not to do what now? Thanks Brad. I feel very relieved that you were doing something for us. As compared to everything else that MS has done. I used to be able to buy an MS Office suite – now, I just rent the email you send the revised pricing to. What I find truly amazing (as a former PC Game Pass subscriber, and as someone that regretfully advised my son to join too)… how do you keep convincing gamers that this isn’t about nickel-n-diming. Especially when you keep saying it’s about playing where and when you want… how about true X-platform (I hope that COD do this… where you only buy the game once). After all… MS now entirely owns the vertical distribution, so why not?