Good news for gamers! Microsoft vows to keep ‘Call of Duty’ on Sony PlayStation consoles
A Microsoft Corp. executive vowed in court that after the company's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. Call of Duty will remain available on rival Sony Corp's PlayStation devices, countering the US Federal Trade Commission's claim that the purchase would thwart competition in the console gaming market.
US District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley on Friday asked Phil Spencer, who heads Microsoft Gaming, to confirm that Microsoft won't exclude the popular shooter game from consoles offered by its top competitor Sony.
Spencer raised his hand ceremoniously and said: “My commitment is, my testimony is, we will continue to ship future versions of Call of Duty on Sony's PlayStation. ” As long as Sony would allow that, he added. He also said that he would keep the game on future versions of the PlayStation.
Spencer is among Microsoft executives defending the planned purchase in a five-day court hearing that began Thursday. The FTC is seeking to temporarily halt the transaction while its legal challenge to the acquisition is pending. His promise under oath could hurt FTC's attempt to show that the deal would reduce competition in the console gaming market.
The blockbuster deal would vault Microsoft to the No. 3 position in the global games market after Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Sony. The deal that has a closure deadline of July 18 could be wrecked if Corley rules in the agency's favor.
Microsoft claims its incentive in buying Activision is to gain a foothold in the lucrative mobile gaming market. “This deal has nothing to do with increasing” Microsoft Xbox's share in the console market, Spencer testified. The executive who sported a dark gray suit and tie told the judge he plans to be in the courtroom during the entire
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