Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard (opens in new tab) is facing intense scrutiny from regulators around the world, with one of the main sticking points being the future of the Call of Duty series on PlayStation platforms. In an effort to help assuage those concerns and push the deal through, Microsoft told the New York Times (opens in new tab) that earlier this month it committed to a 10-year deal with Sony to keep the Call of Duty series on PlayStation consoles.
It’s a bit ironic, because in recent years PlayStation owners have actually had a leg up on the rest of us, with early access to Call of Duty beta tests and other content. That seems very unlikely to continue if the series comes under Microsoft’s stewardship, but Sony is more concerned that it could be cut off altogether. Microsoft said shortly after the acquisition plan was announced that…
