One of the biggest player and fan-centric concerns that came from Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard was that Call of Duty, one of the publisher’s biggest titles, would only come to Microsoft platforms in the future. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer put some of those concerns to rest on Thursday when he tweeted that Microsoft “desires” to keep Call of Duty on Sony platforms.
Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 20, 2022
“Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony,” Spencer wrote on Twitter. “I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.”
Call of Duty should remain on PlayStation
While the acquisition is far from complete, rumors have circulated about what will happen to many of Activision Blizzard’s major properties. Several may come to Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service, which is one of the tech giant’s main priorities in the game industry. Call of Duty: Vanguard, which launched in November of last year, was the best-selling game the month it launched. It was also the is the second best-selling game of the entire year in the US. It sold especially well on the PS4 and PS5.
Spencer’s language leaves room for some interpretation, though. While he commits to honoring existing agreements and a “desire” to retain Call of Duty on PlayStation, we’re still a long ways away from Microsoft taking control of Activision Blizzard. We could see this year’s title, if there is one, on all platforms regardless of the status of the acquisition.
Employees of Activision Blizzard are cautiously optimistic about the future of Activision Blizzard, although it’s hard to tell how things will be different until the deal is finalized.
