-
Following Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer has once again reaffirmed that Call of Duty will continue to be released on PlayStation consoles.
Spencer stated that Microsoft intends to continue distributing Call of Duty on Sony’s consoles “as long as there is a PlayStation out there to ship to” in an interview with Same Brain that was posted on YouTube (thanks, Eurogamer).
We will not be using PlayStation’s Call of Duty software… That is not our goal, Spencer added. “That is not our intention, and as long as there are PlayStations to ship on, we want to continue shipping Call of Duty on PlayStation, much like we have done with Minecraft ever since we acquired that platform.
“We have increased, not decreased, the locations where individuals can play Minecraft. And we want to do the same when we consider where Call of Duty can go over the years since, in my opinion, it has been beneficial for the Minecraft community.
Since then, the proposed acquisition has drawn attention, especially in the UK, where the Competitive Markets Authority (CMA) warned that the merger could “hurt competitors” and “damage competition.” The CMA explicitly addressed worries that Microsoft would harm its rivals by abusing its ownership over the Call of Duty property.
Since Microsoft initially announced its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard, in a transaction that valued the publisher at roughly £60 billion ($68.7 billion), there have been concerns that the brand will become an Xbox exclusive.
Following the completion of the Activision Blizzard merger, Microsoft has committed to continuing the franchise on the PlayStation for a further three years.
Spencer has previously refuted claims that Microsoft wants to restrict access to this franchise to his Xbox. To promote the concept of it coming to the Nintendo Switch, Spencer actually stated just a few days ago (October 27) that he intended to treat his IP like his Minecraft and display it on “many different displays.”
“We have increased, not decreased, the locations where individuals can play Minecraft. And we want to do the same when we consider where Call of Duty can go over the years since, in my opinion, it has been beneficial for the Minecraft community. Since Microsoft initially announced its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard, in a transaction that valued the publisher at roughly £60 billion ($68.7 billion), there have been concerns that the brand will become an Xbox exclusive.
Since then, the proposed acquisition has drawn attention, with the Competitive Markets Authority warning that it may “hurt competitors” and “damage competition.” The CMA explicitly addressed worries that Microsoft would harm its rivals by abusing its ownership over the Call of Duty property. Following the completion of the Activision Blizzard merger, Microsoft has committed to continuing the franchise on the PlayStation for a further three years.
Spencer has previously refuted claims that Microsoft wants to restrict access to this franchise to his Xbox. To promote the concept of it coming to the Nintendo Switch, Spencer actually stated just a few days ago (October 27) that he intended to treat his IP like his Minecraft and display it on “many different displays.”