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Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer wrote letter to PlayStation's Jim Ryan vowing to keep Call of Duty on PS

2023-04-10 15:38
Phil Spencer has put it in writing that 'Call of Duty' is not leaving PlayStation anytime soon.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer wrote letter to PlayStation's Jim Ryan vowing to keep Call of Duty on PS

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer penned a letter to PlayStation president Jim Ryan pledging to keep 'Call of Duty' on the PlayStation for "several years" to come.

The letter was sent earlier this year, with Spencer officially putting the promise in writing.

It comes as regulators expressed their concerns about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard

In a statement to The Verge, Spencer said: "In January, we provided a signed agreement to Sony to guarantee Call of Duty on PlayStation, with feature and content parity, for at least several more years beyond the current Sony contract, an offer that goes well beyond typical gaming industry agreements."

Recently, the UK's Watchdog said Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard could reduce competition.

The Competition and Market Authority raised issues with the tech giant buying the parent company of ‘Overwatch’, ‘Candy Crush’ and ‘Call of Duty’.

In response, Microsoft said they were willing to work with the CMA on the “next steps” to make their deal happen, which would be the largest in their history.

In the ruling, the CMA expressed concerns about the problems it could cause for their competitors, such as Sony.

Sorcha O’Carroll, the CMA’s senior director of mergers, said: "Microsoft could use its control over popular games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft post-merger to harm rivals.

"If our current concerns are not addressed, we plan to explore this deal in an in-depth Phase 2 investigation to reach a decision that works in the interests of UK gamers and businesses."

Brad Smith, a Microsoft spokesperson said: "We're ready to work with the CMA on next steps and address any of its concerns. 

"Sony, as the industry leader, says it is worried about Call of Duty, but we've said we are committed to making the same game available on the same day on both Xbox and PlayStation. We want people to have more access to games, not less." 

The company argued the purchase is for their expertise within the mobile game sphere and denied prohibiting titles like ‘Call of Duty’ from other consoles, such as Sony’s Playstation.

Saudi Arabia became the first territory to approve the deal between the two companies.