In a surprising turn of events, Sony’s decision to trade Bethesda, Crash, and more for decade-long access to Call of Duty has left PlayStation gamers feeling disheartened. The Call of Duty series become the focal point of the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard takeover saga, which has been unfolding since 2022, in recent days. Call of Duty’s popularity is undoubtedly a significant factor in Microsoft’s decision to shell out $68.7 billion to acquire Activision Blizzard.
Despite Microsoft’s reassurances that it intends to keep Call of Duty multiplatform, Sony was concerned that Microsoft could eventually pull the series from PlayStation and keep it exclusive to Xbox. This concern led to Sony securing a binding deal with Microsoft, ensuring Call of Duty remains on PlayStation. However, the details of this agreement, such as the contract length, remain undisclosed.
The agreement did not mention other Activision franchises such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Overwatch, or Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Nor was there mention of Bethesda titles, a company that Microsoft has previously acquired by paying $7.5 billion for its parent company, ZeniMax Media.
The gaming community has expressed disappointment over the deal, with many PlayStation gamers expressing more interest in other franchises than Call of Duty. Some gamers have expressed concerns about losing access to classic Microsoft franchises like Crash, Spyro, Diablo, Overwatch, and Tony Hawk. Others have expressed disappointment over the potential loss of access to Bethesda games like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Dishonored, Doom, and Wolfenstein.
Sony’s scepticism towards Microsoft’s promises is rooted in the history of Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax. Despite initial assurances that Microsoft had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles, Microsoft later announced that upcoming games like Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI would be Xbox/PC exclusives. This has led Sony to worry that any current promises about long-term cross-platform plans for the Call of Duty franchise might be similarly weak.
The implications of this deal are significant. If you’re a PlayStation gamer looking to play games from a publisher other than Call of Duty, it might soon be time to invest in an Xbox Series X|S. The gaming landscape is changing, and this deal clearly indicates the shifts to come.
As the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard takeover saga unfolds, gamers worldwide will be watching closely to see how these changes impact their gaming experiences. The hope is that despite the business decisions being made, the focus will remain on creating and delivering high-quality gaming experiences for all.
