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Sony's Concerns Over Microsoft's Call of Duty Acquisition

Sony faces a formidable challenge
by Joe Wilcock on August 02, 2022   



Call of Duty’s influence and significance is no secret. From 2009 to 2019, a Call of Duty game was the annual best seller in 8 out of the 10 years, the only outliers being Rockstar’s two releases that decade; GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2

Sony is astutely aware of this fact, especially given that Microsoft has recently reached an agreement to buy Activision-Blizzard, the publishers and license holders of Call of Duty, for $68.7 billion. Although Microsoft has pledged their respects to Sony, confirming that they will uphold any existing agreement, it looks as though the pleasantries will cease after 2023:  
 

“To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision, and we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love. We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo's successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business."

- Microsoft 


This will gift Microsoft a monopoly on the Call of Duty franchise and subsequently strengthen their position to sell consoles if they make the most popular series on the planet exclusive. An ominous prospect for Sony to rival, they have released a statement regarding the merger. As part of an inquisition launched by Sony’s Brazilian contingency to investigate the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, the following documents surfaced: 
 

“According to a 2019 study, The importance of Call of Duty to entertainment, in general, is indescribable. The brand was the only video game IP to break into the top 10 of all entertainment brands among fans, joining powerhouses such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings. Call of Duty is so popular that it influences users' choice of console, and its community of loyal users is entrenched enough that even if a competitor had the budget to develop a similar product, it would not be able to rival it."

- Sony 


If anything, it showcases the unparalleled pull that Call of Duty possesses to have Sony concerned. Despite having God of War, The Last of Us, Spider-Man, Ghosts of Tsushima and Ratchet and Clank, just to name a few, they all still pale in comparison to COD in terms of sales. 

The acquisition of Activision-Blizzard was announced back in January and should be confirmed in June 2023, subject to the FTC’s and other regulatory watchdog groups' approval. 
 


Check back with DailyGamer for more Sony and Microsoft news. 

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