According to a recent document, Microsft claims that a period of ten years is more than enough for Sony to develop a worthy rival to Call of Duty. The document in question emerges just as discussions about the Activision Blizzard acquisition appear to have taken a sudden turn. In fact, the Redmond giant has now decided to end the bargaining to keep the historic FPS on PlayStation.
Despite the various proposals made to Sony, the company continues to maintain that no contract is acceptable. For the Japanese giant, losing a title of this magnitude would cause a lot of damage to PlayStation. Now Microsoft, fiercer than ever, is once again emphasizing that ten years, duration of the last contract offered to SonyI am more than enough to make a title that can compete directly with Call of Duty.
“During the remedies hearing, the CMA asked Microsoft if ten years was enough and if there was a ‘cliff’ for Sony at the end of that period. The period of ten years is [censurato]wrote Microsoft. “Microsoft believes that a period of ten years is sufficient for Sony, as the leading publisher and platform, to develop alternatives to CoD“.
“The ten-year term will also extend to the next generation of consoles [censurato]. Furthermore, the practical effect of the measure will go beyond the ten-year period. This because the games downloaded in the last year of the provision can continue to be used for the entire life of the console (and beyond, with backwards compatibility)“.
In the course of his dealings with the authorities, However, Sony continues to argue that it would be impossible to replace Call of Duty. This above all in case the series is no longer available on PlayStation. In fact, the company defines CoD as “an essential game, a blockbuster, an unrivaled triple A”.
In the past, Sony had already stated: “According to a 2019 study, Call of Duty’s importance to entertainment in general is indescribable. The brand was the only video game IP to enter the top 10 of all entertainment brands among fans, joining powerhouses like Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Call of Duty is now so popular since influence users’ choice of console. Its community of loyal users is well established. Even if a competitor had the budget to develop a similar product, they would not be able to rival Call of Duty“.
Pending the final report of the CMA on the agreement with Activision Blizzard, scheduled for April 26, the company now remains adamant on its decisions. Ten years is enough time to develop a new IP and in any case this is a time period equal to or greater than that typically imposed within other similar acquisitions.
Fonte: VGC
