Microsoft Offered Sony A Deal To Keep Call Of Duty On PlayStation For The Next Decade – Report

As the pending sale of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft continues to be analyzed by regulatory committees around the world, a new report by The New York Times has revealed an attempt by Microsoft to remedy one of rival Sony’s largest issues with the acquisition: Call of Duty.

The report states that on November 11, Microsoft offered Sony a deal that would see new releases in the first-person shooter franchise continue to launch on PlayStation for the next decade. Sony, according to the report, did not comment on the offer when asked.

The report comes after Microsoft accused Sony of overstating the franchise’s impact on PlayStation’s overall viability, which played a factor in the United Kingdom’s regulatory commission’s decision to send the deal to a second stage of scrutiny.

“The Referral Decision incorrectly relies on self-serving statements by Sony which significantly exaggerate the importance of Call of Duty to it,” Microsoft said after the UK decision. “While Sony may not welcome increased competition, it has the ability to adapt and compete.”

The New York Times pieces include remarks from Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan about those assertions, saying they were “not true,” and that “it is highly likely that the choices gamers have today will disappear if this deal goes ahead.”

The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft was first announced back in January, when the Xbox parent company announced it would be paying $69.8 billion to bring the publisher into the fold. The sale came after months of tumult within Activision Blizzard, including reports of harassment against employees and accusations that CEO Bobby Kotick knew about the allegations and ignored them.