Sony tells regulator CoD players are likely to switch to Xbox, even without exclusivity

videogameschronicle.com:

Sony has told the UK’s competition regulator that it believes some Call of Duty players are likely to switch to Xbox, even if the series remains on PlayStation following Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

That’s partly due to the increased differentiation it believes could emerge between the Xbox and PlayStation versions of future CoD entries, should Microsoft’s proposed deal be approved by global market regulators.

That’s in addition to the obvious benefit that would emerge for consumers, should Microsoft’s intention to bring Call of Duty to its Game Pass subscription service come to fruition.

Despite repeated assurances from Xbox that the Call of Duty series, which is regularly the best-selling release of the year in the US, will remain on PlayStation, Sony has been engaged in an increasingly public war of words over the proposed deal, and told press that Microsoft’s offer in regards to the future of CoD was “inadequate on many levels”.

Regulators around the world are currently scrutinising Microsoft’s proposed acquisition, with the UK’s CMA voicing similar concerns that the deal could harm PlayStation and other game subscription services, should Microsoft make Activision Blizzard content exclusive to its platform.

Microsoft said in response to the CMA’s decision to expand its inquiry this week that it has “no intention to take Call of Duty away from gamers” and claimed that doing so would “tarnish both the Call of Duty and Xbox brands”.

However, in an extensive document published by the CMA, it’s revealed that Sony Interactive Entertainment believes that, even if Microsoft is true to its word on keeping the series multi-format, it could still add exclusive features to the Xbox versions of Call of Duty