Well, it looks like Microsoft isn’t going to hog all Activision Blizzard games to themselves now that they’re about to own the company. That’s good news for us PlayStation owners. Let’s hope it stays that way.
Microsoft: Not Interested In A Monopoly (Yet)
IGN has just released a report in which Microsoft confirms that they will not keep “Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles” on the Xbox only. Specifically, this confirmation is for the PlayStation only at the present. Microsoft president Brad Smith has plans to have the same deal for Nintendo Switch at a later date, but so far, there is nothing official yet. This is only for PlayStation for the time being. Smith’s exact words are as follows:
“To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love.”
However, there are caveats here to Microsoft’s promise. IGN reports that Brad Smith is apparently not committing to all “traditionally multiformat Activision Blizzard games” heading to PlayStation or Nintendo. He doesn’t mention which ones specifically. However, he does mention that any games developed after this agreement are not part of this deal. In fact, he mentions that he doesn’t want to maintain this current deal “in perpetuity”. Again, he doesn’t mention how long the deal would be in place. Only that he doesn’t plan to keep it forever. Well, that sucks. Specifically, for people who don’t own a high-end gaming PC or Xbox.
Activision Blizzard: A Future PC and Xbox Exclusive Developer?
Brad Smith makes a lot of noise about how he wants to make it easier for gamers to play Activision Blizzard games “across ever platform” afterward, but his previous words already contradict him. What he really means is that he wants to make it “easier” for players only on PC and Xbox. For everyone else? Oh, well. I guess you’re just going to have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a gaming PC or Xbox if you want to play the latest Call of Duty game.
So despite his words, Smith has basically announced that he wants Microsoft to monopolize Activision Blizzard games. Not in the present, but certainly at some point in the future. Better enjoy this deal while it lasts, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch owners. ‘Cause it ain’t going to last.
Source: IGN
