TheCall of Dutyfranchise has been a dominating powerhouse in the gaming world since the originalCall of Dutyin 2003. Its next installment isCall of Duty:Modern Warfare 2,not to be confused with the 2009 game of the same name, anda recentModern Warfare 2teaser trailerconfirmed it will be launching this fall. Fans learned they would be following fan-favorite Simon “Ghost” Riley and other iconic members of Task Force 141 for yet another adventure. While this direct sequel to 2019’sModern Warfareis greatly anticipated, many PlayStation players were left wondering what will happen with the platform’s typical exclusive content.
This January,Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzardfor $68.7 billion. This adds quite a few big-name titles into Microsoft’s already impressive collection, including headliners such asWorld of Warcraft,Overwatch,Hearthstone, andCall of Duty. Many were concerned this acquisition would meanCall of Dutygames would become Xbox exclusives, but Xbox head Phil Spencer reassured the community that they had a “desire to keepCall of Dutyon Playstation.” As of this writing, it’s less clear what the acquisition will mean for the recent pattern of exclusiveCall of Dutymodes and other content coming to Sony consoles.
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The End of the Call of Duty Deal Between Sony and Activision
Since 2014, Playstation users have benefited from owning Sony consoles if they played anyCall of Dutygames. From modes likeModern Warfare’sSpecial Ops Survival Modethat was only playable on PS4s for a year to an exclusive zombie “Onslaught” mode inBlack Ops Cold War,as well as exclusive deals such as Tier Skips, in-game bundles, and bonus weapon XP, the benefits were plentiful. ConcerningModern Warfare 2, it was first reported by CharlieIntel that early access to the beta will be available first for PS4 and PS5, though there have been no official confirmation by Activision.
Now that Microsoft has obtained Activision Blizzard, it makes sense that the franchise would no longer provide such bonuses for a competitor’s console, which could makeModern Warfare 2the lastCall of Dutygame to benefit from Playstation bonuses. By 2026, it seems likely that Microsoft will have full control as long as negotiations go well, and the Sony-Activision agreement may be tossed aside or altered significantly.
With such impactful changes shaking the industry, Xbox and PlayStation fans will have to consider their options for which console best fits their interests and is the most financially viable. Still, the Sony-Activision deal may not expire or be altered in any significant ways, as thedeal may also be in place forWarzone 2, which is on track for release later this year alongsideModern Warfare 2.At this point, only time will tell.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2will release on July 30, 2025.
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