Blizzard Acquisition by MS "Maintains 'Call of Duty' Contract with Sony"... Alleviating Exclusivity Concerns
Microsoft (MS) has ensured that the popular game 'Call of Duty' can continue to be enjoyed on Sony's PlayStation (PS). This move is seen as an effort to alleviate regulatory concerns that the popular Blizzard games might become exclusive to MS's video game console, Xbox, amid the ongoing regulatory review of MS's acquisition of the major U.S. game company Activision Blizzard (hereafter Blizzard).
Phil Spencer, head of MS gaming, stated on Twitter on the 16th (local time), "We have signed a binding agreement with Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation even after completing the acquisition of Blizzard."
Call of Duty is the best-selling video game worldwide developed by Blizzard.
MS President Brad Smith also tweeted, "After crossing the finish line for the Blizzard acquisition, we will focus on making Call of Duty available on more platforms and to more consumers."
This announcement is interpreted as a measure to address regulatory concerns that MS would make Blizzard's popular games exclusive to Xbox after the acquisition. Previously, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) argued that if MS acquired Blizzard, it would exclude Blizzard games from competitors like Sony, causing harm to consumers. In response, MS signed a 10-year license agreement for Call of Duty with competitors such as Japan's Nintendo last year.
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Meanwhile, the acquisition of Blizzard by MS is moving forward. MS announced its plan to acquire Blizzard for $68.7 billion (approximately 89 trillion KRW) early last year, marking the largest deal in IT industry history. The European Union (EU) Commission approved the acquisition, and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which had previously rejected the acquisition, has postponed its final decision and begun a re-examination. This is interpreted as a change in CMA's stance. The U.S. FTC's injunction request to halt the MS acquisition deal was dismissed by the court, and the appeal was also rejected.
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