Microsoft and Sony finally reached an agreement to keep Call of Duty On PlayStation after the Activision Blizzard merger is complete. Surprise deal followed months of struggle between two companies and a sign that the acquisition is almost inevitable.
“We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to continue. Call of Duty On PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer tweeted on July 16. “We look forward to a future where gamers globally have more options to play their favorite games.”
It’s not immediately clear what the terms of this deal are and whether it’s similar to offers Microsoft has recently signed with Nintendo and other cloud gaming providers. In the past, Sony has paid Activision for exclusive benefits related to: Call of Duty, including timed exclusive content and exclusive marketing rights. It was also revealed during the recent court battle over the agreement that Activision has strengthened its partnership with Sony to negotiate better commission rates for the series on Xbox.
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Sony was strongly opposed to Microsoft’s acquisition of the publisher in legal proceedings in Europe, the UK and the US. After the recent legal defeat of the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to block the dealHowever, the PlayStation 5 manufacturer now seems to have decided to deal. Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan has reportedly said in the past that his only interest was to block the deal.
Sony’s current contract with Activision won’t expire until 2025, and it seems likely that the new contract will last at least for the rest of the PS5’s lifespan. Microosft has argued from the beginning that it is not in its financial interest to make the series private, as the games generate billions in revenue on the rival platform.
Microsoft declined to comment. Sony did not immediately respond.
