Sony Group Corporation expects Microsoft to maintain the cross-platform format of games developed and published by Activision Blizzard, so that PlayStation users can continue playing their titles after the closing of the commercial agreement between both companies.
“We expect Microsoft to honor contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are cross-platform“, A spokesman for the Japanese manufacturer has indicated in statements collected by The Wall Street Journal.
Among some of the titles that belong to Activision Blizzard are Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Candy Crash Y Call Of Duty. PlayStation has had the marketing rights to the latter, also available for other platforms, for years; something that could be at risk after this purchase.
Microsoft makes Xbox, a console that appears as direct competition in the market with that of Sony, PlayStation. For this reason, Sony believes that the fact that the company has acquired Activision Blizzard could jeopardize the titles available. for platforms other than Microsoft.
Sony’s observations derive from the statement of intents of Microsoft in the announcement of the purchase of Activision, when the company reported that it will include all the video games created and edited by the developer in its subscription, Game Pass, and that with them it will enhance its cloud service, Cloud Gaming.
“This will allow more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community. using phones, tablets, laptops and other devices from which it is already accessible,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in the statement. He also noted that “Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms” and that they plan to “continue to support those communities in the future.”
However, previous acquisitions removed games from the PlayStation catalog, as happened with Starfield, after the acquisition of Bethesda, although Microsoft respected the agreement with Deathloop and GhostWire: Tokyo, exclusive to PS5.
Currently, Game Pass has 25 million subscribers and, after finalizing this commercial agreement, the owner of Xbox will have more than 30 internal game development studios.
So far, this is the largest purchase in video game history, as Microsoft will pay $68.7 billion in cash (60,326 million euros to change) and will pay $95 for each of Activision Blizzard’s shares.
This supposes a 46 percent premium with respect to the closing price of the company’s shares directed by Satya Nadella this Monday. After this purchase, Microsoft will be the third largest video game company in the world, only surpassed by Tencent and Sony.
This acquisition will be effective in 2023, after passing different reviews by regulatory bodies and will conclude with the incorporation of the 10,000 employees of Activision Blizzard in Microsoft.