Microsoft is currently engaged in a legal battle with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in an effort to secure approval for their proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC is seeking an injunction to prevent the deal from closing until a crucial trial in August determines if there is an antitrust case against them.
Recently released court documents revealed some interesting information, including the possibility of future Bethesda games being available on PlayStation consoles, as well as Microsoft’s admission that Xbox has lost the console wars. Today, Xbox boss Phil Spencer took the stand and discussed the uncertain exclusivity of The Elder Scrolls VI and the role of Starfield in the acquisition of Bethesda.
However, the main focus of this legal battle is Call of Duty and whether Microsoft intends to secure exclusive rights to the franchise. While Phil Spencer and Microsoft have repeatedly stated that they have no such plans and have even offered Sony 10 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation, there are still concerns about their true intentions. Will Phil Spencer change his mind once the Acti-Blizz deal is approved? Today, Phil Spencer made a pledge under oath and potential legal penalty, officially stating that there is no secret plan to pull Call of Duty from PlayStation. If the deal is signed, PlayStation will continue to have access to Call of Duty for the next 10 years.
Phil Spencer emphasized the importance of gamers and their influence, stating, “I think as we’ve seen even in preparation for this that gamers are an active and vocal group. Us pulling Call of Duty from PlayStation in my view would create irreparable harm for the Xbox brand.” He further confirmed his commitment, saying, “I would raise my hand. I will do whatever it takes. We have no plan. I’m making a commitment standing here that we will not pull Call of Duty – it is my testimony – from PlayStation. As you said, Sony obviously has to allow us to ship the game on their platform, but absent any of that, my commitment is, and my testimony is that we will continue to ship future versions of Call of Duty on Sony’s PlayStation 5.”
This statement from Phil Spencer provides clarity on their intentions. Although there may have been speculation about Microsoft initially planning to secure exclusive rights to Call of Duty, it seems that they are now firmly committed to keeping the franchise multiplatform. If they deviate from this commitment, Phil Spencer would be found guilty of perjury.
As the legal battle between Microsoft and the FTC continues, more details are expected to emerge. We will provide updates on the latest developments.
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Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
