Microsoft is keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation because it wants more Minecrafts

theverge.com:

Ever since Microsoft announced its $68.7 billion plan to acquire Activision Blizzard, the big question has been whether Call of Duty will become an Xbox exclusive. Sony has expressed “expectations” that Call of Duty would remain on its platform, while Microsoft has said explicitly that it wants to keep the game on PlayStation. But many, myself included, have speculated whether Microsoft might still make parts of Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox in the future. Microsoft has now made it clear it sees Call of Duty the same way it sees Minecraft: as a multi-platform franchise that will draw gamers to Microsoft’s services.

And it’s not just Call of Duty — Microsoft wants to bring more Activision Blizzard games to more platforms, including the Nintendo Switch. The company has seen success with Minecraft, and it’s certainly leaving the door open for Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Diablo to remain on multiple platforms or expand elsewhere.

As Microsoft president Brad Smith revealed yesterday: “Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision.” That commitment extends into the future, too. “And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love,” says Smith.

Although some have argued Smith’s comments leave the door open for Microsoft to make parts of Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox, I think the company’s intention is clear: to make both campaign and multiplayer available on all platforms.

If it wasn’t clear enough, Smith revealed Microsoft’s emerging games strategy in an