PlayStation for Activision: “If Microsoft takes it, gamers will lose”   

He denies trying to mislead the authorities

The revelations about Xbox and PlayStation ‘s feud over Activision Blizzard ‘s takeover continue. Specifically, through a New York Times article, we learned that Microsoft is now offering Sony a contract that will ensure in writing that the Call of Duty franchise will remain on PlayStation for a decade, that is, until 2034.

However, this was not the only revelation. According to the media’s information , Microsoft is now publicly accusing Sony of misleading the regulatory authorities , who are called upon to give the green light and decide whether to allow the completion of the acquisition or not.

The main concern for regulators is whether the acquisition of Activision Blizzard violates antitrust laws by giving Microsoft too much power in the video game industry. In particular, they fear that Microsoft could potentially take Activision’s games away from competitors such as Sony, or use them to gain an unfair advantage at a time when more and more people are playing via streaming.

In this regard, then, the president of Microsoft, Brad Smith, emphasized that Sony has misled the regulatory authorities and that it has deliberately exaggerated the importance of Call of Duty to its viability. In fact, the head of the Xbox gaming department, Phil Spencer, emphasized again that Microsoft does not intend to deprive Sony of Call of Duty, saying:

The first phone call Satya and I made after the deal was announced was to the head of Sony to say, “You know we’re going to keep Call of Duty on your platform.”

Of course, as we know, Sony was not satisfied with this commitment by Microsoft. As revealed in documents it filed with Brazilian regulators, the company complained that Call of Duty is such a strong franchise that Microsoft could use it to hurt its rivals. In fact, the medium reveals that Sony has hired a specialized consulting firm specifically to manage the acquisition of Activision Blizzard , organizing meetings on Capitol Hill, among other things. Somehow, Sony’s arguments were repeatedly used by Britain’s regulator in September, which decided to proceed with a deeper investigation.

Of course, Sony denies all these accusations . Speaking to the New York Times, Jim Ryan , head of Sony Interactive Entertainment, stated emphatically that “it is not true” that his company is trying to mislead the regulatory authorities . Instead, he reiterated that if Microsoft ultimately completes the acquisition, gamers will lose out:

Microsoft is a technology giant that has a long history of dominating various industries. Thus, it is very likely that gamers will lose the options they have today if the deal goes ahead.

It is worth noting that currently the merger of Activision, Blizzard and King with Xbox is awaiting the approval of another 14 governments. So far only Saudi Arabia and Brazil have given the green light.