Sony is trying at all costs to stop Microsoft’s nearly $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.. The PlayStation owner is demanding from regulators that Call of Duty, along with its associated development teams, be sold separately to another company. If that doesn’t happen, Sony wants US, UK and European authorities to disapprove of a major publisher’s connection to Xbox.
Microsoft is gradually pushing back, explaining to officials how the world of video games works and gradually signing other companies contracts that guarantee Call of Duty for 10 years with the same content, quality and same day across different platforms and services. Among other things, Microsoft has signed a contract with Nvidia to make CoD available on the GeForce Now cloud service, and with Nintendo to bring the popular first-person shooter to Switch. Microsoft also offered the same contract to Sony, even wants to continue taking advantage of the DualSense controller on PS5. But Sony refused to sign such a contract.
“I don’t want a new contract with Call of Duty. I just want to block your merge. According to Activision Blizzard CFO Lulu Cheng Meservy, Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, should have made the announcement on February 21, 2023.
Microsoft believes ten years is enough for Sony, as the leading publisher and leading console platform, to develop alternatives to Call of Duty. The tech giant and owner of the Windows operating system recalls that the ten-year period will last until the next generation and older games will be playable for much longer thanks to the console’s lifecycle and backwards compatibility.
Source: ActivisionSony fears Microsoft is deliberately sabotaging Call of Duty on PlayStation
Sony, on the other hand, claims that it cannot replace Call of Duty if Microsoft decides to have this important series exclusively for its ecosystem, i.e. Xbox and Windows consoles, after the contract expires.
Sony describes Call of Duty as an essential game, a blockbuster and an AAA title that has no competition.. This brand is the only one in the world of video games that has acquired licenses such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. Call of Duty is supposed to be so popular that it influences gamers when choosing a console, Sony says, and its community is so ingrained that even if a competitor had the budget to develop a similar game, it wouldn’t be able to compete with it. This. Players recall that Sony once buried the popular first-person action games Resistance by Insomniac Games and Killzone by Guerrilla Games, so now they can dig them up and show off new parts.
Microsoft sees no reason to renew a ten-year contract. But he remains open to constructive discussions with the CMA and other authorities. The CMA is due to issue a verdict on April 26, 2023. The European Union is due to make a decision a day earlier, and litigation is expected in the US Federal Commission. Microsoft plans to complete its acquisition of Activision Blizzard this summer.
Source :Indian TV
