By Jack Mendel
Microsoft has signed an agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a tweet.
A deal to keep Call of Duty on Playstation could further ease concerns surrounding the acquisition’s impact on competition.
Speaking on the agreement, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a tweet,
“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.”
The FTC had argued the deal would hurt consumers whether they played video games on consoles or had subscriptions because Microsoft would have an incentive to shut out rivals like Sony Group.
To address the FTC’s concerns, Microsoft had earlier agreed to license “Call of Duty” to rivals, including a 10-year contract with Nintendo, contingent on the merger closing.
While the Microsoft-Activision deal was backed by the EU and US, it was rejected by the Competition and Markets Authority, the UK’s watchdog.
This comes after Microsoft and Activsion were told they would have to present a new revised deal to the UK’s competition authority if it is to reconsider the multi-billion pound takeover deal.
“While the merging parties do not have the opportunity to submit new solutions once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure the deal, which could lead to a new merger investigation,” the agency said in a statement today. “The CMA is prepared to engage with them on this basis.”
More to follow
Reuters – Kanjyik Ghosh
