Mones Hawass books
Sunday, March 12, 2023 04:00 AM
A disagreement arose between Microsoft and Sony over the previous purchase of Call of Duty, which is being developed by Activision Blizzard, as Sony is concerned that a Windows developer might make the game an Xbox exclusive.
But those claims receded after Microsoft announced multi-year deals with Nintendo and Nvidia. The company also offered a 10-year deal to Sony but turned it down for unknown reasons, but Activision has an answer.
According to Lulu Cheng Meservey, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Director of Communications at Activision Blizzard, Sony doesn’t want a deal and just wants to prevent a merger. % market share) 10-year agreement on much better terms than Sony could get from us, we also offered Sony long-term guaranteed access to Call of Duty, but they keep refusing, why?”
“The CEO of SIE answered that question in Brussels, in his own words: ‘I don’t want the new Call of Duty deal, I just want to block your merger,’” she said, adding that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) President and CEO Jim Ryan said those words in Feb 21.
Microsoft’s defense of the Activision Blizzard deal
The date and location in Meservey’s tweet is significant because it was on February 21 when Microsoft chief Brad Smith defended the $69 billion acquisition of the video game company at the EU hearing in Brussels. Smith also said Sony had not responded to the 10-year license offer. And he carries the envelope with the deal with him.
Sony’s changing narrative?
Initially, Sony claimed that Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard would hurt competition because the company would make Call of Duty games exclusive to Xbox. However, Microsoft’s deals with Nintendo and Nvidia breached those claims.
In its latest narrative, Sony has raised concerns, saying that the Windows maker may sabotage the PlayStation game in terms of quality and performance compared to the Xbox. It should be noted that Sony’s current deal with Activision for Call of Duty expires in 2024. The European Commission will announce a decision on the acquisition on April 25th. . It has been reported that the deal is close to being approved.