Earlier this year, Microsoft announced its huge planned acquisition of Activision, and recent months have seen regulators scrutinising the deal to determine whether or not it’s actually fair on the rest of the games market to see it go through. VGC reports that now the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), a regulatory body in the United Kingdom, has announced that its inquiry has entered a second phase as a result of antitrust concerns.
If the deal goes ahead, Microsoft is set to own the Call of Duty series - take a look at last night's multiplayer reveal of Modern Warfare II below.
The CMA is specifically concerned about the impact on PlayStation in all this, and whether Microsoft owning the Call of Duty IP could affect PlayStation’s ability to compete. This is something that Sony recently raised concerns about, noting that the series is “so popular that it influences users’ choice of console.” Sony has now responded to the CMA’s plans to expand its inquiry, and has told GamesIndustry.biz that the company “welcomes the announcement.”
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“By giving Microsoft control of Activision games like Call of Duty, this deal would have major negative implications for gamers and the future of the gaming industry,” Sony told GamesIndustry.biz. “We want to guarantee PlayStation gamers continue to have the highest quality gaming experience, and we appreciate the CMA’s focus on protecting gamers.”
Microsoft, however, has responded and has reiterated its claims that making Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive just wouldn’t be profitable. “It makes zero business sense for Microsoft to remove Call of Duty from PlayStation given its market leading console position,” the company told GamesIndustry.biz in a statement.
Featured Image Credit: Billy Freeman via Unsplash, ActivisionTopics: Microsoft, Activision, Sony, Xbox, PlayStation, Call Of Duty