Sony released a statement ‘welcoming the announcement’ of additional investigations Microsoft Activision Agreement By the UK’s Competition Market Authority (CMA). Regulators said earlier this month that a merger could “significantly reduce” competition in the market, a move Sony agreed. The company believes this could have a “significant negative impact” on the gaming industry.
Microsoft responds to Sony concerns about merger
provide an official statement to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony thanks the CMA for its efforts in recommending that the CMA initiate a second phase investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The statement read:
By allowing Microsoft to control Activision games like Call of Duty, the deal will have a significant negative impact on the future of gamers and the gaming industry. We want to ensure that PlayStation gamers continue to enjoy the highest quality gaming experience, and we appreciate the CMA’s focus on protecting gamers.
In response, Microsoft countered these statements by saying, “Given the console’s market-leading position, it doesn’t make business sense for Microsoft to remove Call of Duty from the PlayStation.”
The console war over Call of Duty reached a boiling point last week when PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan specifically called out Xbox CEO Phil Spencer. According to Ryan, Xbox said the Call of Duty franchise will remain on the PlayStation console for only three years after Activision’s deal with Sony ends. However, Ryan called it “inadequate” and felt compelled to make a statement “because Phil Spencer brought this up on a public forum.”
Earlier this week, Facebook and Instagram owner Meta defended its deal with Microsoft Activision, claiming it had “plenty” of content in production.
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