How PlayStation's worst fears about Call of Duty could still come true if the Xbox-Activision deal breaks down

sportskeeda.com:

The cold war between Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard has certainly picked up pace over the last month. When the deal was announced in January 2022, most experts anticipated a closure around mid-2023 after approval from due sources.

It's the same element that has brought the deal actively into the discussion. It's safe to claim that the negotiations so far haven't exactly gone as per Microsoft and Xbox's plans. This has largely been a result of the opposition put forward by none other than PlayStation. As things stand, Sony's console brand could become the loser even if the deal doesn't take place.

As far as Activision Blizzard is concerned, there has never been an issue over the potential takeover. The terms at which the acquisition is supposed to happen is well over the company's share value.

Getting majority approval from his staff wasn't an issue for CEO Bobby Kotick, who incidentally may not remain once the takeover is complete. But that hasn't ensured a swift completion, as the UK-based CMA has been playing hardball.

The major opposition to the potential deal between Xbox and Activision Blizzard has been CMA. The body has a history of blocking deals like the one that was supposed to occur between Nvidia and ARM. One major point CMA has used is to protect consumers, which is oddly similar to PlayStation's claim.

The bone of contention has always been Call of Duty, one of the most played games on the PlayStation console. Sony has claimed that the potential deal could end with the shooter franchise becoming an exclusive that won't be available on its console. This could be a major headache for the brand despite its position as a leader in the console market.

However, certain