Published , by Asif Khan
Published , by Asif Khan
Microsoft and Sony have reached a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for the next ten years. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer announced the deal on Twitter earlier today.
The deal is similar to the commitment for COD support that Microsoft gave to Nintendo and other cloud gaming players in an effort to appease regulators scrutinizing the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith added some additional color on today's announcement stating "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 more platforms and for more consumers than ever before."
Following the FTC's failed attempt at being granted an appeal late last week, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft intend to close the transaction by Tuesday, July 18, but one regulator could still throw a wrench into that plan. The United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has a history of forcing sales and blocking technology deals and remains the last hurdle for Microsoft's nearly $70 billion ATVI acquisition.
Microsoft (MSFT) has a long track record of making massive acquisitions, with the Xbox division making a ton of moves in recent years. It remains to be seen how the company will execute in the coming years as Activision Blizzard joins the ever-growing portfolio of gaming studios at Microsoft.
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