Rumour has it that Microsoft will buy long-term Call of Duty exclusivity deal if Sony PlayStation block acquisition deal.
Sony has just initiated a conflict that they will ultimately lose. Although experts are skeptical that the FTC lawsuit will successfully prevent Microsoft from acquiring Activision, Xbox has a contingency plan that will severely damage Sony PlayStation if the action is successful, an inside source claims.
RELATED: Microsoft and Activision deal is the best thing for consumers
Sony’s case against Activision‘s purchase reeks of hypocrisy. When it comes to preventing games from being released for competing consoles, no corporation has spent more money than Sony has. Sony-owned development studios not only make PlayStation-exclusive games but also use underhanded tactics to secure exclusivity deals with first-party studios.
According to a popular PlayStation Lifestyle, “Sony pays for ‘blocking rights’ to prevent developers from adding content to Game Pass and other competing subscription services.” This, the site surmises, may be the reason why some titles are introduced to PS Plus but not Xbox Game Pass, or why they are added to Game Pass much later.
Another developer revealed that Sony threatened to remove future releases from the PlayStation Store if they partnered with Microsoft for Xbox Game Pass.
So it is evident that Sony PlayStation’s antics are not very consumer friendly, and one could argue that they are worthy of scrutiny or even a lawsuit from the FTC, especially after contracts revealed that they pay developers to keep their games off Game Pass.
This new information is very damaging to Sony’s and the FTC’s lawsuit against the Microsoft and Activision deal. Regardless, experts believe that aforementioned companies had no case to begin with.
Sony asserts that it is concerned that Microsoft will make the Call of Duty franchise exclusive to Xbox, which is in direct opposition to the news that Microsoft has offered to extend their current contract with PlayStation until 2033, giving PlayStation owners another decade of the military first-person shooter.
Microsoft made a statement indicating that they had no intention of removing the game from the PlayStation, arguing that doing so would ultimately harm sales and, consequently, earnings. They even declared their willingness to bring Call of Duty to the Nintendo Switch, expanding the game’s accessibility.
Microsoft will just pay for timed exclusivity.
According to reports, Microsoft’s USD$70 billion acquisition of Activision is due to the company’s dominant position in the mobile gaming sector. In 2019, Activision made more money from mobile gaming than from console and PC gaming combined.
A source believes that if Sony is successful in blocking the sale, Microsoft and Activision have a backup plan that will severely affect Sony.
After 2024, Sony’s exclusivity agreement with Activision for Call of Duty content will expire, and Activision will no longer be obligated to provide PlayStation with exclusive or timed content, or even to distribute the game on the PlayStation platform.
A source claims that Microsoft and Activision have agreed to a timed exclusivity agreement for Call of Duty, similar to what Sony has done with so many other titles, should the acquisition be blocked. This essentially means that PlayStation gamers may not receive future Call of Duty titles for three to twelve months after their Xbox counterparts.
Sony don’t want CoD on Game Pass.
“Sony isn’t scared that Microsoft will pull Call of Duty from the PlayStation, they don’t want the game on the Xbox or PC Game Pass. Why would anyone buy a PlayStation for Call of Duty when they could have instant access to the entire Call of Duty franchise on both PC and Xbox for as little as USD$15 a month? That’s why Sony is upset,” the source added.
On day one, all Microsoft-owned games are accessible via Xbox Game Pass. People do not need to pre-order or wait in line because Game Pass guarantees quick access to every Xbox exclusive.