Xbox Lead Phil Spencer and Microsoft President Brad Smith confirmed that the company is bringing Call of Duty to more platforms once the $69 billion Activision merger closes. Specifically, Spencer announced Microsoft’s 10-year deal with Nintendo for Call of Duty and keeping the franchise on Steam. Smith, on the other hand, calls the attention of Sony, which is still mum about the same offer.
“Microsoft has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to @Nintendo following the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King. Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people – however, they choose to play,” Spencer shares in his tweets. “I’m also pleased to confirm that Microsoft has committed to continue to offer Call of Duty on @Steam simultaneously to Xbox after we have closed the merger with Activision Blizzard King.”
The announcement of the Microsoft Gaming CEO was followed by Smith’s tweet, stressing how the Redmond company is dedicated to promoting healthy market competition in the gaming industry. After showing gratitude for Nintendo, Smith gave Sony a nudge regarding the same offer Microsoft proposed.
“Our acquisition will bring Call of Duty to more gamers and more platforms than ever before,” Smith’s tweet reads. “That’s good for competition and good for consumers. Thank you @Nintendo. Any day @Sony wants to sit down and talk, we’ll be happy to hammer out a 10-year deal for PlayStation as well.”
In September, it can be recalled that PlayStation Chief Jim Ryan described Microsoft’s earlier three-year proposal as “inadequate on many levels and failed to take account of the impact on our gamers.” On November 11, Microsoft tweaked the offer by turning it into a longer 10-year deal. However, after introducing the solution to end one of the obvious reasons for Sony’s continuous diatribe against the merger, it seems Microsoft still hasn’t received any official affirming responses from the rival despite the recent report of the two having meetings to talk about the issue. With this, it is still a question of whether the new offer is still “inadequate” in the eyes of Sony. Weeks ago, Spencer told The Verge that literally promising Sony an endless deal for Call of Duty by using the word “forever” in the contract was “a little bit silly.” Yet, the Xbox Lead said, “to make a longer-term commitment that Sony would be comfortable with, regulators would be comfortable with, I have no issue with that at all.”
The announcement regarding the Nintendo and Steam deal came out the same week a Bloomberg report revealed Microsoft and FTC’s Wednesday meeting. The report details that the attendance included FTC Chair Lina Khan, the agency’s commissioners, and Microsoft executives like Smith. The meeting will determine whether the FTC will approve the deal or if it will push earlier reported plans to file a lawsuit to block it.
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