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Sony has signed a binding agreement with Microsoft to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for 10 years.
Last week, the FTC lost its case against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and its subsequent appeal. This effectively paves the way for Microsoft to complete its purchase of the Call of Duty maker, save for its ongoing wrinkle with the Competition and Markets Authority, the regulatory agency in the U.K. Now, Microsoft has announced that it and Sony have signed a binding agreement to keep Activision Blizzard’s flagship franchise, Call of Duty, on the PlayStation platform for 10 years.
“We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard,” Xbox head Phil Spencer tweeted over the weekend. “We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games.”
We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and @PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) July 16, 2023
Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith followed suit, tweeting, “From Day One of this acquisition, we’ve been committed to addressing the concerns of regulators, platform and game developers, and consumers. 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.”
As you can see, these statements don’t reveal the 10-year piece of the binding agreement; but The Verge received a statement from Xbox head of global communications, Kari Perez, confirming said agreement is a 10-year commitment. However, it’s important to note this commitment is just for Call of Duty, which is different from the original deal Microsoft attempted to sign with Sony last year.
That agreement included “all existing Activision console titles on Sony, including future versions in the Call of Duty franchise of any other current Activision franchise on Sony through December 31, 2027,” as noted by The Verge. Now, the 10-year deal today applies to just Call of Duty.
Game Informer has reached out to PlayStation for comment or statement and will update the story if comment or statement is received.
What do you think this means for PlayStation? Let us know in the comments below!