According to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, the Call of Duty franchise will remain on the Sony PlayStation platform, after fans raised concerns amid Microsoft’s bid to acquire Activision Blizzard that all properties will become exclusive to Xbox and PC gamers.
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Spencer spoke to Sony executives and assured gamers after the meetings that the company intends to honour all of Activision Blizzard’s existing agreements after the acquisition, including keeping the game on PlayStation.
Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 20, 2022
After the news broke that Microsoft intends to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, Sony stocks plummeted by 13 percent in a single day as investors grew concerned that the PlayStation platform would take a significant revenue hit if the library of Activision Blizzard games were no longer available on the PS. Most industry players expect Microsoft to keep some of the library available to all, while some will become exclusive in order to further push Xbox Game Pass.
How long those contractual agreements last is unclear. But the Call of Duty franchise has been a major cash cow for Activision, so pulling the PlayStation support would be costly for Microsoft. On the flip side, though, it could drive gamers to the Xbox platform, which is no doubt a key reason why Microsoft is buying up the company. Activision Blizzard games will be heading to Game Pass as soon as the deal is finalized, according to Microsoft.
If the past is any indication, interested parties could look at how Microsoft is handling Bethesda to find the answers they are looking for. When Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media, Spencer stated that some games will still be on PlayStation. It was later revealed that Starfield and Elders Scroll VI would be console exclusives for the Xbox family. This could be the future for Activision Blizzard games, where games with existing commitments to Sony will come out on PlayStation, but everything after that will not.
