PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan wrote in an internal email in January 2022 that he believes Microsoft's bid to acquire Activision is "not an Xbox exclusivity play at all."
Microsoft has committed to measures that “address the competition concerns" and "represent a significant improvement for cloud gaming."
The authority the deal would "would alter the future of the fast-growing cloud gaming market," leading to "less choice for UK gamers."
The FTC specifically subpoenaed Nintendo of America's Steve Singer for up to seven hours of testimony regarding the deal.
"Despite clearly intending to use these agreements in its defense, Microsoft has refused to produce underlying internal documents related to these agreements," the American agency says.
The company has so far signed binding 10-year agreements with the likes of Nintendo and Nvidia for future Call of Duty titles.
Sony remains staunch in its stance that Microsoft's Call of Duty deal for PlayStation will do more harm than good.
"Even if such degradations could be swiftly detected, any remedy would likely be too late, by which time the gaming community would have lost confidence in PlayStation," Sony says.
Activision Blizzard EVP/CCO Lulu Cheng Meservey reveals the SIE President and CEO said this on February 21st in Brussels.
Microsoft's offer to Sony includes the option to put Call of Duty games on PlayStation Plus day and date for the same duration as their Game Pass availability.
Microsoft's Rima Alaily says the amount of people who would switch from PlayStation to Xbox if Call of Duty went exclusive is "too small to hurt Sony’s ability to compete."
Though plans may have changed internally, a new report claims next year's Call of Duty game could also be available on last-gen consoles.
Microsoft President Brad Smith says the new deal offered to Sony is better for PlayStation than the existing one.
"We are committed to providing long term equal access to Call of Duty on other gaming platforms," the company says.
New report claims the project initially started as paid Modern Warfare 2 DLC, but changed scope during development and is now expected to be a full new premium title.
The game is allegedly going to launch for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on November 10, with PlayStation platforms set to receive early access releases.
Industry analysts believe the UK's CMA "accelerated its formal objection to the deal and proposed remedies in order to step in front of the FTC and gain bragging rights."
The United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority says the deal could potentially lead to "higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation."
"The largest console maker in the world [is] raising an objection about the one franchise that we’ve said will continue to ship on the platform," says the Xbox boss.
"Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people - however they choose to play," said Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.
