Sony Group Corp (NYSE:SONY) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) have reportedly reached a 10-year agreement to keep “Call of Duty” games on PlayStation consoles after the U.S. software giant completes its takeover of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI).
“We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said on Twitter on Sunday.
We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and @PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) July 16, 2023
“Even after we cross the finish line for this deal’s approval, we will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before,” Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith said on Twitter.
From Day One of this acquisition, we’ve been committed to addressing the concerns of regulators, platform and game developers, and consumers. Even after we cross the finish line for this deal’s approval, we will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on… https://t.co/hMWjC58wRi
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) July 16, 2023
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Sony confirmed a 10-year deal had been reached.
The deal addresses concerns about Microsoft’s dominance in the gaming market and the possibility of making games exclusive to its own consoles.
Smith, during last month’s regulatory trial, vowed to do “whatever it takes” to keep “Call Of Duty” on PlayStation.
The Activision acquisition is still pending, but recent developments, including a federal appeals judge blocking the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to halt the deal, have improved Microsoft and Activision’s prospects. The deal is targeted to be completed by Tuesday.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Edited by Saba Fatima and Maham Javaid