Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard, but the mammoth business deal has to clear some considerable hurdles. Various regulatory bodies around the world have to give the go-ahead before it will officially go through. Other companies in the video game industry have been asked to provide statements on the impactMicrosoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzardwill have, with Sony using the opportunity to voice its concerns, particularly when it comes to theCall of Dutyfranchise.
Assuming everything goes through and Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard as planned, it will suddenly have control of theCall of Dutybrand.Call of Dutyis easily one of the most popular video game franchises of all time, if notthemost popular, with the annualCall of Dutygame often topping the charts as the top-selling game each year. Microsoft has suggested thatCall of Dutywould remain a multi-platform franchise even if it acquires Activision Blizzard, but it seems Sony is still worried about it, as revealed by its statement to the Brazilian government.
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Basically, Sony believesCall of Dutycould impact consumer choice when it comes to buying a new console. SoifCall of Dutyis Xbox exclusive, fans of the franchise may choose an Xbox over a PS5. Console exclusives are the main way companies compete for consumer dollars, though Microsoft has moved away from that strategy in recent years to instead focus on selling subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass.
Sony isn’t just blowing smoke when it comes to its concerns aboutCall of Duty, as it has clearly banked on fans of the franchise picking PlayStation over Xbox by securing exclusivity deals of its own. SomeCall of Dutycontent has been PlayStation-exclusivein recent years, with some game modes only being available on PS4 and PS5 for upwards of a year in some cases. Sony makes these deals because it hopes it will convinceCall of Dutyfans to pick up the PlayStation version over the Xbox version, so it’s clear the company believes inCoD’s ability to sell consoles.
WhileSony and Activision have had a close partnership for years nowwhen it comes toCall of Duty, it used to be Microsoft getting the timed-exclusive content for Xbox. There once was a time whenCall of DutyDLC would launch on Xbox 360 and Xbox One first, but eventually those deals went to PlayStation instead. This shows that Microsoft itself has found value in securing exclusiveCall of Dutycontent for Xbox, so it will be interesting to see if it stays true to its word about keeping the franchise multi-platform.
