Sony, Microsoft Sign Major Deal for Call of Duty on PlayStation

Sony and Microsoft have reached a long-term 10-year agreement, ensuring the continuation of the popular Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation.

This decision comes following Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which sparked concerns over the future of Call of Duty on Sony’s platform.

Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, confirmed the deal, putting an end to the year-long standoff between the two gaming giants. The dispute emerged when Microsoft declared its intentions to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022.

While Microsoft’s initial announcement did not explicitly mention the 10-year term, Kari Perez, Head of Global Communications at Xbox, later verified the decade-long commitment to The Verge. However, Perez clarified that the agreement applied only to Call of Duty, distinguishing it from other deals Microsoft has with Nvidia and Nintendo.

Sony had previously resisted Microsoft’s proposed 10-year contract in December 2022, expressing concerns that Microsoft could limit Call of Duty to Xbox or potentially compromise the PlayStation versions. However, PlayStation Chief, Jim Ryan, assured that he was not overly worried about Call of Duty exclusivity and anticipated its continued presence on PlayStation for many years.

Negotiations and counteroffers over the past 18 months eventually led to the agreement. Despite some initial miscommunication and public disagreements, the parties have reached a conclusion beneficial to all, particularly the gamers who can continue enjoying Call of Duty on their preferred platform.

With regulatory attention now shifting to the UK after a previous blockage of Microsoft’s proposed deal, the gaming world awaits further developments. Microsoft and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK have agreed to suspend their legal battles to discuss how to modify the deal to address the CMA’s cloud gaming concerns.

While Microsoft aims to close its Activision deal by July 18th, some delay might occur pending the resolution of the situation in the UK.