Microsoft, in the meantime, affirms there shall be console parity

Sony is laying out considerations about Microsoft’s potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard. These embrace the possibility that Microsoft could launch a worse model of Name of Obligation on PlayStation, although Microsoft claims it’s going to keep parity.

In a doc submitted to the UK’s Competitors and Markets Authority (CMA) filed in late February, as noticed by The Verge, Sony raises considerations about what Microsoft could do with Name of Obligation. This consists of considerations that Activision may even create a worse COD expertise on a competitor’s console. Right here’s the slice the place Sony lays out this risk:

“For instance, Microsoft may launch a PlayStation model of Name of Obligation the place bugs and errors emerge solely on the sport’s remaining degree or after later updates. Even when such degradations might be swiftly detected, any treatment would seemingly come too late, by which era the gaming group would have misplaced confidence in PlayStation as a go-to venue to play Name of Obligation. Certainly, as Trendy Warfare II attests, Name of Obligation is most frequently bought in simply the primary few weeks of launch. If it turned recognized that the sport’s efficiency on PlayStation was worse than on Xbox, Name of Obligation players may determine to modify to Xbox, for concern of enjoying their favorite recreation at a second-class or much less aggressive venue.”

Although this doesn’t fairly allege supposed sabotage, the priority appears to be that the PlayStation model would change into second fiddle. Sony alleges that even when Microsoft had been to function in good religion, it could be incentivized to assist and prioritize improvement of the Xbox model. Sony additionally different methods by which Name of Obligation may skew in direction of Xbox, together with the value of the collection going up and making it obtainable on a subscription service solely by Recreation Move. It concludes by saying that the transaction must be both prohibited, or topic to a “structural treatment.”

Answering the decision

Microsoft responded in an announcement to Eurogamer, saying that because the CMA issued its Provisional Findings, the corporate has supplied options that deal with the considerations.

“These embrace a assure of parity between Xbox and PlayStation on entry to Name of Obligation and legally binding commitments to make sure that Name of Obligation is on the market to a minimum of 150 million extra gamers on different consoles and cloud streaming platforms as soon as the deal closes,” the Microsoft spokesperson mentioned.

Moreover, the spokesperson provides in regard to the deal: “The choice now lies with the CMA on whether or not it’s going to block this deal and shield Sony, the dominant market chief, or think about options that make extra video games obtainable to extra gamers.”