Microsoft has offered to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles for 10 more years in an effort to appease Sony’s concerns over their acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The problem is it doesn’t seem to have worked. In a filing to Brazil, Sony has still declared that Microsoft could use the franchise to lure players to Xbox.
Call of Duty’s future on PlayStation still uncertain despite deal for 10 more years
Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision has attracted plenty of scrutiny and criticism, the loudest of those critics being Sony. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said earlier this week that the company was prepared to put Call of Duty on rival consoles for a “longer term” in an effort to assuage any concerns from Sony and regulators. Microsoft has since told The New York Times that Sony was offered a deal as recently as November 11 to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles for 10 more years. This deal would also not force PS4 and PS5 players to use Xbox Game Pass to play the game.
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan still has his concerns, stating Microsoft was “a tech giant with a long history of dominating industries” and that “it is highly likely that the choices gamers have today will disappear if this deal goes ahead.” The arguments continue and it doesn’t look like the deal will be approved anytime soon.