Sony expects Microsoft to ‘continue to ensure’ Activision games stay multiplatform.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/20/22892860/sony-microsoft-activision-blizzard-acquisition-comment-response

Sony has responded to Microsoft’s blockbuster proposal to buy Activision Blizzard with a comment on what that might mean for the future games like Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles. “We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform,” a spokesperson tells The Wall Street Journal.

That statement’s wording is less than definitive. It’s not surprising that Sony would expect Microsoft to honor any existing contractual agreements regarding PlayStation games, as it did when PS5 console exclusive deathloop was released after Microsoft’s acquisition of publisher Bethesda Softworks. Once existing agreements expire, it opens the door for Microsoft to pursue Xbox exclusivity for the many franchises it’s acquiring.

The big question is around Call of Duty. The franchise is hugely popular across both Xbox and PlayStation, but Sony has had a Call of Duty marketing deal in place with Activision for more than five years. “PlayStation is the new home of Call of Duty,” declared former PlayStation CEO Andrew House during Sony’s E3 2015 press briefing. Sony revealed in November that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was the second most played PS5 game for the whole of 2021, behind only Fortnite. Call of Duty also secured both of the top spots for US game sales for the whole of 2021, according to NPD, highlighting its impact on the market.

Once Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal closes, Sony will be powerless over Call of Duty’s long-term future on PlayStation. Microsoft’s Bethesda acquisition led to Starfield becoming an Xbox and PC exclusive, and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is hinting that The Elder Scrolls VI will also be an Xbox exclusive.

“Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward,” said Spencer earlier this week. It’s easy to imagine a future where Microsoft maintains Call of Duty: Warzone across multiple platforms, but any future Call of Duty games go Xbox exclusive. After all, Microsoft isn’t spending $68.7 billion to keep publishing PlayStation games forever.

Sony's advertising/promo deals with COD/Activision are 4 year deals, and were last renewed in 2019 which means they expire next year right when the new deal closes. Probably see this falls releases still hit the same way, but I got a feeling after that Phils gonna use the same line he did with Bethesda/Zenimax..."We plan on releasing those games to platforms with Gamepass on them" etc.

Interesting seeing as how Diablo 4 and I think...Overwatch 2 also got pushed to 2023 right?

I personally think they should keep COD multiplat(It makes sense, it just does). I'm more interested in seeing some of those other properties they own and some dope Single player games

I'll only have to buy Playstation first-party games. Everything else will be on gamepass. the value.

OldBusiness said Sony's advertising/promo deals with COD/Activision are 4 year deals, and were last renewed in 2019 which means they expire next year right when the new deal closes. Probably see this falls releases still hit the same way, but I got a feeling after that Phils gonna use the same line he did with Bethesda/Zenimax..."We plan on releasing those games to platforms with Gamepass on them" etc. Interesting seeing as how Diablo 4 and I think...Overwatch 2 also got pushed to 2023 right? I personally think they should keep COD multiplat(It makes sense, it just does). I'm more interested in seeing some of those other properties they own and some dope Single player games

that's what I'm saying I couldn't give a sh*t about COD (but I get that it's one of the biggest games in the world, which is why it makes sense to keep it multiplat, at some point, a game is too big to be exclusive, because taking it exclusive would possibly create more backlash than of user growth).

I'm looking at what Blizzard has in store and what Bethesda is going to drop for us. Activision has been fine I guess, but I can't remember the last Activision game I HAD to play tbh...

Y’all keep falling for the same song and dance.

They keeping COD off PlayStation, playstations going to make their own shooter. It’s that simple, they already started years ago.

I seen somewhere 70% of COD players are on PlayStation. With good reason since it’s pretty much the go to for shooters since Sony hasn’t invested much into their own (unlike Xbox that has gears, halo, etc), so when that goes the brands going to suffer to what degree no one knows.

I haven’t played COD since I gave it a second chance with world war2 so I’m good on Activision. Once Sony games start dropping people are going to be reminded in real time why Sony’s the Goat

Novii said Y’all keep falling for the same song and dance. They keeping COD off PlayStation, playstations going to make their own shooter. It’s that simple, they already started years ago.

That's dope, and I hope Sony makes a good one.

Is it going to be available day 1 on Sony's version of gamepass?

That's how you swing the masses.

Lord God said That's dope, and I hope Sony makes a good one. Is it going to be available day 1 on Sony's version of gamepass? That's how you swing the masses.

Don’t think they’d ever do that, but Idk though m$ putting up pressure.

Sony doesn’t have a fu*king choice bro. It has to be dope, since any shooter under that umbrella NOW will be seen as Sony’s answer to the loss of CoD. Kind of like how Xbox’s new Indiana Jones is going to get compared to uncharted. They have no room to miss

OldBusiness said Sony's advertising/promo deals with COD/Activision are 4 year deals, and were last renewed in 2019 which means they expire next year right when the new deal closes. Probably see this falls releases still hit the same way, but I got a feeling after that Phils gonna use the same line he did with Bethesda/Zenimax..."We plan on releasing those games to platforms with Gamepass on them" etc. Interesting seeing as how Diablo 4 and I think...Overwatch 2 also got pushed to 2023 right? I personally think they should keep COD multiplat(It makes sense, it just does). I'm more interested in seeing some of those other properties they own and some dope Single player games

Its not like he isn't giving Sony and Nintendo and option to play their games. It's just both companies don't want to meet on Microsoft's terms. Oh well, it's business.

COD games will be on PS on a 6 month delay and missing exclusive gamepass content.

The battle Royale game will stay

MS will give PS COD day one only if gamepass is allowed on PS. This will be the ultimate push. mS ain’t making consoles anymore.

They dropped 70 B's on the whole industry head. Phil Spencer has been taunted on twitter for years "yall dont have no games"

All this sh*t about to be xbox exclusive, this next coming duty might be the last one on playstation .

Kewop Decam said COD games will be on PS on a 6 month delay and missing exclusive gamepass content. The battle Royale game will stay MS will give PS COD day one only if gamepass is allowed on PS. This will be the ultimate push. mS ain’t making consoles anymore.

Stop with that narrative please

Yeah I do see it coming on the PS5/PS6 but I do see a delay in content and a lot of Xbox timed exclusive content.

Novii said Don’t think they’d ever do that, but Idk though m$ putting up pressure. Sony doesn’t have a fu*king choice bro. It has to be dope, since any shooter under that umbrella NOW will be seen as Sony’s answer to the loss of CoD. Kind of like how Xbox’s new Indiana Jones is going to get compared to uncharted. They have no room to miss

Kewop Decam said COD games will be on PS on a 6 month delay and missing exclusive gamepass content. The battle Royale game will stay MS will give PS COD day one only if gamepass is allowed on PS. This will be the ultimate push. mS ain’t making consoles anymore.

Actually Google is the one that has applied pressure to all of these companies by launching the Stadia program.

The era of the console is going away because with the increase in internet speeds and virtual consoles on servers, people literally are playing first class titles through their web browser on even the sh*ttiest computers and web-enabled televisions.

Microsoft if getting out ahead of all of this and they can do so because they have a huge cloud server infrastructure with Azure.

Mark my words, Sony will eventually strike a deal with Amazon or Google to have their games compete virtually by using AWS or Google Cloud as their backbone. Consoles are going bye bye.

Marcus said I'll only have to buy Playstation first-party games. Everything else will be on gamepass. the value.

I been doing that. I havent bought a microsoft game since gears 5 drop. I spend that money on the collectors items for Sony exclusives. I converted my 3 years over to game pass ultimate for a dollar in 2019 and been riding the wave til June of this year when it expires. I plan on just canceling this account and making a new one to jump on another 1 dollar deal. Any good ways to renew for the low without creating a new account?

No way in hell they drop $70 bil and not make it exclusive. Makes no sense at all.

That being said I'm excited to see what Sony comes up with to compete with COD.

RJ Watkins said Actually Google is the one that has applied pressure to all of these companies by launching the Stadia program. The era of the console is going away because with the increase in internet speeds and virtual consoles on servers, people literally are playing first class titles through their web browser on even the sh*ttiest computers and web-enabled televisions. Microsoft if getting out ahead of all of this and they can do so because they have a huge cloud server infrastructure with Azure. Mark my words, Sony will eventually strike a deal with Amazon or Google to have their games compete virtually by using AWS or Google Cloud as their backbone. Consoles are going bye bye.

Sony already entered into a strategic partnership for their cloud services for PlayStation with......

Microsoft Azure.

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XBOX is so trash that they have to buy their way into increasing player count and sales rather than just creating a system people give a fu*k about.

Facts B said XBOX is so trash that they have to buy their way into increasing player count and sales rather than just creating a system people give a fu*k about.

I know right, I can't believe they would spend money to bring more developers to their platform

Facts B said XBOX is so trash that they have to buy their way into increasing player count and sales rather than just creating a system people give a fu*k about.

You think Sony wasn't buying studios all these years? LMFAO

Sony was making 3rd party devs sign deals directly saying they couldn't put games on gamepass

Sony kept crossplay from happening on most games by charging devs if they did it

The way people act like Sony was some business saints all these years to build up their empire is crazy...They are pieces of sh*t and Sony is completely racist

I think it’ll be similar to The Show (MLB), PS players will have to pay for the game while Xbox users can get it via GamePass.

Only one thing, I think the timed exclusive content PS players were getting will shift over to MS players now.

I'm just curious how they going to have enough money to fund all these huge studios they have while still making money...they claim people spend more when they have GamePass but I see the opposite...less people are buying games outright because they get it free in GamePass..sure they'll buy one or two here that they actually like but nothing else gets bought

So the revenue from GP + Game Sales now has to keep afloat 34 studios + the revenue they give to devs having their game on the platform (whether by playtime/player count/downloads)...

I guess if you have the capital to bleed red until the competitor taps out you can do that

dcjames5 said I'm just curious how they going to have enough money to fund all these huge studios they have while still making money...they claim people spend more when they have GamePass but I see the opposite...less people are buying games outright because they get it free in GamePass..sure they'll buy one or two here that they actually like but nothing else gets bought So the revenue from GP + Game Sales now has to keep afloat 34 studios + the revenue they give to devs having their game on the platform (whether by playtime/player count/downloads)... I guess if you have the capital to bleed red until the competitor taps out you can do that

Money earned from subscriptions is greater than money earned from single purchases

It took Netflix to show us this fact

This is why every industry is moving towards subscription based models

Anyone who isn’t is 20 years behind

Lord God said That's dope, and I hope Sony makes a good one. Is it going to be available day 1 on Sony's version of gamepass? That's how you swing the masses.

You swing the masses by making better games, not by simply having a subscription service lmfao

Sony brings back Socom and theyll be ok