Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard, but the mammoth business deal has to clear some considerable hurdles. Various regulatory bodies around the world have to give the go-ahead before it will officially go through. Other companies in the video game industry have been asked to provide statements on the impact Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard will have, with Sony using the opportunity to voice its concerns, particularly when it comes to the Call of Duty franchise.
Assuming everything goes through and Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard as planned, it will suddenly have control of the Call of Duty brand. Call of Duty is easily one of the most popular video game franchises of all time, if not the most popular, with the annual Call of Duty game often topping the charts as the top-selling game each year. Microsoft has suggested that Call of Duty would remain a multi-platform franchise even if it acquires Activision Blizzard, but it seems Sony is still worried about it, as revealed by its statement to the Brazilian government.
Basically, Sony believes Call of Duty could impact consumer choice when it comes to buying a new console. So if Call of Duty is Xbox exclusive, fans of the franchise may choose an Xbox over a PS5. Console exclusives are the main way companies compete for consumer dollars, though Microsoft has moved away from that strategy in recent years to instead focus on selling subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass.
Sony isn't just blowing smoke when it comes to its concerns about Call of Duty, as it has clearly banked on fans of the franchise picking PlayStation over Xbox by securing exclusivity deals of its own. Some Call of Duty content has been PlayStation-exclusive in recent years, with some game modes only being available on PS4 and PS5 for upwards of a year in some cases. Sony makes these deals because it hopes it will convince Call of Duty fans to pick up the PlayStation version over the Xbox version, so it's clear the company believes in CoD's ability to sell consoles.
While Sony and Activision have had a close partnership for years now when it comes to Call of Duty, it used to be Microsoft getting the timed-exclusive content for Xbox. There once was a time when Call of Duty DLC would launch on Xbox 360 and Xbox One first, but eventually those deals went to PlayStation instead. This shows that Microsoft itself has found value in securing exclusive Call of Duty content for Xbox, so it will be interesting to see if it stays true to its word about keeping the franchise multi-platform.