“Sony is the loudest objector.” Microsoft commented on Sony’s position on its deal with Activision

The company officially stated that it is ready to enter into a contract with Sony, committing to release Call of Duty series games on PlayStation consoles for the next ten years

If the deal with Activision goes through, Microsoft has officially pledged to enter into a contract with Sony committing the company to release new Call of Duty games on PlayStation consoles for the next ten years. Microsoft President Brad Smith stated this in a conversation with The Wall Street Journal.

“Sony has emerged as the loudest objector [to the deal]. It is as excited about this deal as Blockbuster was about the rise of Netflix*.

“The main possible anticompetitive risk Sony raises is that Microsoft would stop putting Call of Duty on PlayStation. But that would be economically irrational.”

“A vital part of Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty revenue comes from PlayStation game sales. Given the popularity of cross-play, it would also be disastrous for the Call of Duty franchise and Xbox itself, alienating millions of gamers.

That’s why we’ve offered Sony a 10-year contract to make each new Call of Duty release available on PlayStation on the same day it comes to Xbox. We’re open to providing the same commitment to other platforms and making it legally enforceable by regulators in the US, the UK, and the European Union.”.

* — Blockbuster previously offered rentals of physical copies of videotapes and discs with movies and TV series. However, the rising popularity of streaming services like Netflix led to Blockbuster’s bankruptcy.