Microsoft has responded to Sony’s concerns about an inferior version of Call of Duty being released on PlayStation consoles. The company claims that Sony does not have to worry about a worse version of the game on PlayStation due to Microsoft’s proposed solution. The solution would encourage Call of Duty developers and publishers to create a version optimized for the PlayStation. Microsoft would be incentivized to develop games with optimized support for PS5 features and future consoles to maximize sales on the platform.
In addition, Microsoft has proposed a 10-year period for Sony, as a leading publisher and console platform, to develop alternatives to Call of Duty. Sony had expressed concerns that Microsoft might raise the price of the franchise on PlayStation, give priority to the Xbox version, or release a corrupted version on PlayStation.
Call of Duty has been the main point of contention between Microsoft and Sony during their battle over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Sony claimed that Call of Duty’s 10-year proposition would irreparably hurt the competition, while Microsoft has signed agreements to bring the franchise to almost every platform, including the Nintendo Switch. Sony also claimed that Battlefield cannot keep up with Call of Duty and that Game Pass significantly outperforms PlayStation Plus.
Microsoft’s proposed solution appears to be a promising one, as it would likely result in a better version of Call of Duty on the PlayStation. Sony can rest easy knowing that it will not receive an inferior version of the game if the deal with Activision Blizzard goes through. This should settle some of the concerns that Sony has expressed, which could ultimately pave the way for the acquisition to be completed without further complications.
