A lot of PlayStation consumers are wondering if Call of Duty would continue to release on their platform beyond the agreements currently exist, and according to Microsoft’s VP, that’s exactly what the company intends on.
Brad Smith, Microsoft vice president and chairman, recently released a statement on Microsoft’s blog outlining the company’s plans for the near future. One paragraph actually details what they intend to do with their newly-acquired Activision Blizzard games, reassuring PlayStation customers that not every game will become an exclusive IP.
“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.”
ICYMI, the immediate consequence of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion will be the release of every Activision game on the Game Pass service. Unlike Bethesda’s IPs which are now all exclusive to Xbox consoles, though, Microsoft will have to respect the agreements that their newly acquired company had reached with gaming publishers prior to the landmark buyout.
That means, at the very least, this year’s Call of Duty – believed by many to be the next installment in the Modern Warfare reboot – will definitely release on PlayStation 5 per these existing terms. Smith’s statement, then, helps to shed some light and relieve some stress on fans who were concerned about the franchise’s future on the platform.
The acquisition is currently being reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission, though as most experts have already pointed out, Phil Spencer and his team won’t have too much difficulty finalizing the deal.