Jim Ryan, CEO ofPlayStation, recently spoke withgamesindustry.biz, specifically to comment on a statement made by Xbox’s Phil Spencer a few days ago. When speaking toThe Verge, Spencer stated thatXboxhad sent Sony a signed agreement in which the firm pledged to keepCall of Dutyon PlayStation platforms, with feature and content parity, for “several years” beyond Sony’s contract with Activision. Spencer had described this offer as one that “goes well beyond typical gaming industry agreements.”
Ryan decided to reveal to the public exactly what this agreement entailed, stating that he had had no plans to comment but felt he needed to “set the record straight” once Spencer brought the private business discussion to a public forum. Ryan explained that Microsoft offered to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for three years beyond the current deal between Activision and Sony
Ryan went on to call this offer “inadequate,” stating that after 20 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation, “only” three years failed to take into account the impact this could have on Sony’s gaming audience. Furthermore, Ryan stated that PlayStation wants to guarantee its players continue to get a high-end Call of Duty experience, and Microsoft’s three-year proposal “undermines this principle.”
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The fact that Ryan made a public statement to specifically discuss this matter is worth noting, however, what’s unclear is the purpose behind it. He made a point to reveal that the “several"years Spencer was referring to, was concretely three years, and he was unabashed in expressing his displeasure with such an offer. Ultimately, though, Ryan has no say in what Xbox does with Call of Duty, so whether or not he finds the offer adequate has no material effect on what ends up happening with the blockbuster franchise once it enters Microsoft’s possession.
It could be that this is an attempt to cast further doubt on Microsoft’s proposed deal to purchase Activision Blizzard. Though the purchase was agreed upon by Microsoft and Activision, due to the size of both participating companies, the deal is subject to the scrutiny of regulatory entities of several countries to ensure the acquisition doesn’t hinder the competitive fairness of their gaming markets. Ryan could have revealed the specific three-year window to show that Call of Duty becoming exclusive on Xbox consoles is not something that’s out of the question down the line.
A few weeks ago, statements submitted to Brasil’s regulatory bodies had Microsoft explaining how it hadno plans to make Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive. This is because the company believes that, even though sales on Xbox consoles would make the firm more money per sale, keeping the game unaccessible to the large PlayStation audience would “simply not be profitable.”
