What you need to know
- Microsoft is currently battling the FTC in U.S. court over its attempt to buy Activision Blizzard, makers of Call of Duty.
- Phil Spencer responds to the question as to whether Call of Duty would remain a multiplatform game.
- He states, under oath, that former, current, and future Call of Duty titles would remain on PlayStation.
- Microsoft has been consistent in its view that Call of Duty would remain on PlayStation platforms.
The ongoing trial between the FTC and Microsoft has led to another concern being addressed for the umpteenth time. Will Call of Duty remain multiplatform, or is there a chance it ever becomes an Xbox exclusive? Phil Spencer addressed this rather directly.
"I think, as we've seen even in preparation for this, that gamers are an active and vocal group. Us pulling Call of Duty from PlayStation, in my view, would create irreparable harm for the Xbox brand," he said, all while under oath for the first time.
"I would raise my hand; I would do whatever it takes," he told Judge Corley. "My commitment is, and my testimony is, that we will continue to ship future versions of Call of Duty on PlayStation 5."
These comments follow multiple statements and offers from Xbox that Call of Duty would remain on PlayStation. These included a 10-year deal with Sony, which was reportedly declined. Contracts were also offered to Nintendo and Steam, the former having accepted, the latter stating it was unnecessary. Even Jim Ryan admitted in a company email that Call of Duty would most likely remain multiplatform. These arguments are at odds with the FTC's claims that Xbox could still pull Call of Duty from PlayStation platforms.
Later, when the FTC had a second chance to question Spencer, the lawyer asked Spencer whether they were willing to make similar commitments for cloud gaming. Judge Corley shut the question down, dismissing the line of questioning by the FTC. She then thanked Spencer for his testimony before he left the stand.
When the deal was announced, Phil Spencer stated that future Call of Duty games would continue to release on PlayStation consoles. He continues to do so, and I imagine that message will not change as Microsoft looks to push the acquisition of Activision/Blizzard through the federal court system.
