Sony’s Phil Spencer wants the “Call of Duty” franchise to be exclusive to its PlayStation platform. Currently, “Vanguard” is the best-selling game on the PlayStation platforms. But Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard means that the PlayStation is on the verge of losing its lion’s share of the “Call of Duty” franchise. Despite its recent move, the console is still on a tear, with sales up nearly 50 percent year-over-year.
The question is now a more pressing one. In January, Microsoft announced plans to purchase Activision Blizzard for $68 billion. While it remains a timed exclusive on the PlayStation, the company has confirmed that the game will continue to be available for the PlayStation. Additionally, Phil Spencer called Sony executives to ensure that the game would remain a multiplatform title. If this were to happen, the PlayStation would lose up to eighty-six million dollars a year.
This is an unfortunate situation for Sony, as the Call of Duty series is one of its most popular franchises. This is especially true considering the fact that Microsoft recently bought Activision-Blizzard, the company that creates the games. Although Microsoft is a strong competitor in the video game market, Activision-Blizzard will remain exclusive on PlayStation. Moreover, the Xbox game pass will add to the enticement of the Xbox version of the game.
While Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard does not cover future Call of Duty releases, it does not rule out the possibility of an Xbox exclusive. This would mean that any new mainline Call of Duty entries would remain free for the PlayStation, increasing the lure of Microsoft’s subscription service. If this is the case, new mainline titles could be made Xbox exclusives and Xbox Game Pass-exclusives, which could further drive sales for the Xbox.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has a major impact on the future of Call of Duty. It is the world’s third-largest gaming company, and is also the second-largest company in the world. Its acquisition of Activision Blizzars will ensure that the Xbox will continue to be the most popular platform for the popular Call of Duty titles. This would also mean a decline in sales for the PlayStation.
While Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been a big win for the video game industry, the future of Call of Duty is also in question. If the game is not exclusive to Xbox platforms, Sony stands to lose hundreds of millions. However, there are some positives for PlayStation users. For starters, this would mean a massive increase in sales of the popular gaming franchise. It is expected that Microsoft will be more competitive with Xbox gamers.
Aside from the loss of the game franchise, Sony may also lose hundreds of millions of dollars if the game is not exclusive to its platform. The move to make Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox would limit consumer choice and would only benefit Xbox users. Aside from making games exclusive to their consoles, Microsoft would have to buy Activision Blizzard for $70 billion. Unless the company wants to make Call of Duty exclusive to the PlayStation, this might not be a good decision for the company.
While Activision Blizzard is owned by Microsoft, a recent press release by the publisher has suggested that the game will stay on PlayStation. The move will be good for the Xbox community, but the PlayStation community is worried that this will hurt its gaming ecosystem. The company has a strong presence in the video game industry and will continue to compete with other companies. So, what does this mean for Call of Duty?
A major shift in the console industry could mean that Xbox will have more games exclusive to the PlayStation. Microsoft has reportedly purchased Activision Blizzard in a $68 billion deal. The PlayStation will continue to have Call of Duty as an exclusive title, but the company will have to make it more attractive than Microsoft in order to keep the title. Aside from Xbox, the PlayStation will also continue to release games by Activision Blizzard, including Deathloop.