Industry
Sony accuses Microsoft of trying to turn it into Nintendo by taking Call of Duty away from it
Sony argues against Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard, with Call of Duty once again in the middle of the fray between the two companies.
2022’s soap opera promises to be also that of 2023, and it seems that the process to complete the purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is still ongoing. Sony has published a new document with its arguments against the move with some particularly striking sentences, among which they claim that the Redmond company seeks to make PlayStation "become like Nintendo" by taking Call of Duty away from them.
Sony's statements
The document, which you can read in full in the link that closes this article, contains sentences that have no waste. According to the Japanese company, this move would pose “a threat to an industry," since with Call of Duty involved, we are talking about a franchise "irreplaceable for gaming platforms". Microsoft's control over it would put it in a place of "unprecedented content advantage, at a point when the industry is at a critical ‘inflection point’".
In relation to this, Sony alleges that Microsoft "would have the ability and incentive to exclude or restrict rivals, including PlayStation and PlayStation Plus, from having access to Call of Duty." They further emphasize a pattern in recent times in the company of " acquiring development studios ‘and making their upcoming games exclusive to Xbox’.”
But obviously, the mention of Nintendo is worth noting. "Microsoft argues that Nintendo has been successful without access to Call of Duty," they start by saying, then make their position clear. "But this reveals Microsoft's true strategy. Microsoft wants PlayStation to become Like Nintendo, so that it would be a less close and less effective competitor to Xbox”.
"Post-Transaction, Xbox would become the one-stop-shop for all the best-selling shooter franchises on console (Call of Duty, Halo, Gears of War, Doom and Overwatch), as the Decision explains and it would then be free from serious competitive pressure," they state.
As we can see, and as expected, Call of Duty is the main battle horse in this trifecta that seems far from having an end.
Source | Sony