US Senator asks Sony CEO to reveal PlayStation’s game exclusivity deals
A US Senator has written an open letter to Sony‘s CEO requesting information on the company’s game exclusivity deals.
North Dakota Republican Senator Kevin Cramer says he sent the letter to Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida “regarding its anti-competitive behavior and to request information on the company’s acquisition agreements”.
In the letter (originally spotted by Axios), Cramer tells Yoshida that he is writing “to express concern about Sony’s efforts to protect its gaming console business from competition”.
He goes on to claim: “I am concerned Sony’s dominance of that market, and its efforts to perpetuate its current position imperils an important economic development opportunity for North Dakota.”
Cramer states that North Dakota has “developed a strategy to lead the nation in computer science and cybersecurity education”, and that “preparing students for careers in gaming is an important component of this effort”.
“Given the growing significance of the gaming industry to North Dakota,” Cramer says, “I am troubled by reports Sony appears to leverage its cominance to exclude competition rather than enabling choice for players and developers.”
He adds: “Increasingly, it appears Sony’s dominance is attributable to exclusionary practices, including paying game publishers not to distribute thieir games on rival platforms.”
He goes on to claim that Sony’s attempt to oppose Microsoft‘s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is an example of its “anticompetitive conduct”, saying it’s “even more troubling” that “Sony’s lobbying of the FTC and other regulators began shortly after Sony itself acquired Bungie.”
Cramer ends his letter by asking Yoshida for unredacted copies of:
Notice: To display this embed please allow the use of
Read more on videogameschronicle.com
