Exciting News: Sony’s Exclusive Call of Duty Deal With Activision Extends to One More Blockbuster Game!

According to a recent court document, Sony's deal with Activision to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles will only include one more game. This information is part of a series of industry revelations that have arisen from Microsoft's legal dispute with the FTC regarding the Activision Blizzard acquisition. During a CNBC interview in February 2023, Microsoft's President, Brad Smith, disclosed that the PlayStation agreement with Activision will conclude in 2024, suggesting that PlayStation may receive up to two additional Call of Duty titles.

In truth, the agreement will effectively conclude with the release of the Call of Duty game in 2023, as revealed in a partially redacted document unveiled at a San Francisco federal court during the ongoing trial between the FTC and Microsoft. As part of Microsoft's efforts to successfully complete the $68.7 billion acquisition, Sony was offered a ten-year extension of its current partnership with Activision. However, Sony has rejected this proposal, expressing concerns about the long-term future of the series on PlayStation. Despite the imminent end of their existing agreement, high-ranking Microsoft officials have consistently reassured that there will be no changes in the post-acquisition era, emphasizing their commitment to keeping Call of Duty games available on PlayStation consoles.

On June 23, Xbox Head Phil Spencer made a promise to support PlayStation in regards to Call of Duty, responding to a request from District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley. In his sworn testimony, Spencer committed to releasing Call of Duty games on both current and future Sony consoles. Following this, the FTC's attorneys asked Spencer to make a similar promise about the game's future on competing cloud gaming platforms, but Judge Corley dismissed their request as irrelevant before he could respond.

Ahead of the ongoing trial, the FTC asked Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan for a statement, in which he referred to Call of Duty as the third-largest third-party franchise on PlayStation in terms of revenue. Ryan also listed several concerns that Sony has regarding the deal, even if Microsoft continues to release Call of Duty on PlayStation. One concern expressed by Ryan was the possibility of Microsoft delaying the release of future Call of Duty games on PlayStation or offering them at a higher price compared to Xbox versions. Ryan also suggested that Sony faces a potential risk of losing other popular franchises such as Diablo and Crash Bandicoot if the acquisition goes through.

The FTC's trial against Microsoft is set to proceed with closing arguments on June 29. It is anticipated that a final verdict will be reached prior to Microsoft's July 18 deadline for finalizing the acquisition. Cited sources: Insider Gaming and The Verge.