WASHINGTON – Microsoft has signed an agreement to keep the Call Of Duty franchise on the PlayStation following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a tweet on Sunday.
A deal to keep Call Of Duty on the PlayStation could further ease concerns surrounding the acquisition’s impact on competition.
Speaking on the agreement, Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a tweet: “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.”
The US Federal Trade Commission had argued the deal would hurt consumers, whether they played video games on consoles or had subscriptions, because Microsoft would have an incentive to shut out rivals like Sony Group.
To address the commission’s concerns, Microsoft earlier agreed to license Call Of Duty to rivals, including a 10-year contract with Nintendo, contingent on the merger closing. REUTERS
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