The UK CMA published another new document related to the ongoing Activision Blizzard saga this week, this time focusing on Microsoft’s responses to the CMA’s questions at a recent remedies hearing.
You can view the full document for yourself if you want, but what stands out to us is related to Microsoft’s answer about a potential 10-year Call of Duty deal for Sony and PlayStation, and whether this duration is long enough.
Basically, Microsoft thinks this period should be more than enough for Sony to “develop alternatives” to Call of Duty. Further, the company argued that the “practical effect” of the remedy would actually exceed ten years.
Here’s what the document says:
“At the Remedies Hearing, the CMA asked Microsoft whether the 10-year period was sufficient and whether there would be a “cliff edge” for Sony at the end of this period. The 10-year period is [REDACTED]. Microsoft considers that a period of 10 years is enough for Sony, as a leading publisher and console platform, to develop alternatives to CoD. The 10-year term will extend to the next generation of the console [REDACTED].”
“Furthermore, the practical effect of the remedy will extend beyond the 10-year period, as games downloaded during the last year of the remedy can continue to be played for the lifetime of that console (and beyond, with backwards compatibility).”
Interesting stuff, then, though keep in mind that Sony has yet to agree to any kind of Call of Duty deal with Microsoft, and based on what we’ve been hearing lately, it seems like the company might never get along
Ultimately it’s not up to Sony though – it’s the CMA, European Commission and FTC that Microsoft needs to convince – and if those three agree to the takeover, Sony will have little choice but to make the best of it. .
