Microsoft Enters into 10-Year Commitments with Nintendo and Steam Developer Valve for Call of Duty; All We Know

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is the most expensive deal in the gaming industry, coming in at a whopping $68.7 Billion. This deal has been under a whole bunch of scrutiny though as many feel that it would bring anti-competitiveness to the table. The acquisition is also under active investigation by the European Union at the moment.

The main issue with the acquisition that the EU has been investigating is barring the access to Activision Blizzard’s console and PC video games, main one being Call of Duty. It seems that Microsoft will resort to offer concession to rivals to help this deal go through sooner. They have already announced the concessions they will be offering Nintendo and Steam through the latest tweets by Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox.

Microsoft will be entering a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo as soon as the merger between them and Activision Blizzard goes through. They have stated their main goal is to bring more games to more people, no matter how and where they wish to play it.

Microsoft has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to @Nintendo following the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King.  Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people – however they choose to play. @ATVI_AB

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 7, 2022

The same 10 year commitment has also been offered to Steam and Microsoft has stated that they will continue to offer Call of Duty titles on the platform, simultaneously to Xbox after the merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard has closed.

I’m also pleased to confirm that Microsoft has committed to continue to offer Call of Duty on @Steam simultaneously to Xbox after we have closed the merger with Activision Blizzard King. @ATVI_AB @ValveSoftware

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 7, 2022

Lastly, Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President at Microsoft, has fired some shots at Sony through his latest tweets. He’s stated that their acquisition deal will bring Call of Duty to more platforms and more gamers, which will be good for competition as well as consumers. He then went on to thank Nintendo and added that “any day Sony wants to sit down and talk, we’ll be happy to hammer out a 10-year deal for PlayStation as well.”

Our acquisition will bring Call of Duty to more gamers and more platforms than ever before. That’s good for competition and good for consumers. Thank you @Nintendo. Any day @Sony wants to sit down and talk, we’ll be happy to hammer out a 10-year deal for PlayStation as well. https://t.co/m1IQxdeo6n

— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) December 7, 2022