Xbox Owning Call of Duty Could Influence Users' Console Choice, According to Sony
Sony sounds worried about Xbox buyout of Activision, claims that owning Call of Duty could influence users' console choice.
 |
| Xbox Owning Call of Duty Could Influence Users' Console Choice, According to Sony |
As fans worldwide are holding their horses in anticipation of upcoming first-person shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II by developer Infinity Ward and publisher Activision, regulators over the globe are looking into its potential buyout.
In a surprise announcement in early 2022, Microsoft reveals to acquire Activision/Blizzard for a whopping $68.7 billion. While debate over this takeover is ongoing, some recently shared docs reveal what their business rival thinks about it.
Other than being examined by European Commission and FTC, many competition regulators all around the world are carefully inspecting Microsoft acquisition of Activision, including Brazil as a newly revealed public document suggests so.
According to official regulatory body of Brazilian government, Sony has responded to a number of questions about proposed acquisition of Activision/Blizzard and claims that Xbox owning Call of Duty could influences users' console choice.
In a given questionnaire, Sony outlines Call of Duty as an essential game, a blockbuster, an AAA-type game that has no rival franchise. Citing a 2019 study, they claim that Activision's shooter is in league with Game of Thrones and Star Wars.
Sony further added saying, Call of Duty influences users' choice of console due to its popularity among loyal fan-base. Even if there was a competitor with a similar budget to develop another game like it, they will still not be able to rival it.
They explain how Activision puts huge resources to develop each Call of Duty entries that there is no market competitor for it. Each annual release takes about 3-5 years to develop as they are investment worth hundreds millions of dollars.
Call of Duty has been a top-seller for a decade since its launch and remains a best-selling game every year. It defines first-person shooter genre and is overwhelmingly popular on social media, having twice the follower than rival Battlefield.
Sony initially reacted to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision/Blizzard saying, Call of Duty games should remain multiplatform due to contractual agreements and Xbox head of gaming assured his intent on doing so once buyout is complete.
Call of Duty annually outperforms almost every other game and even in weaker years like 2021, Call of Duty: Vanguard manages to become a best-seller despite being considered a commercial disappointment compared to previous entries.
