Microsoft vows to convey Call of Duty to Nintendo and to proceed making it obtainable on the latter’s consoles for 10 years if its Activision Blizzard acquisition pushes by means of. Phil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming’s CEO, has announced the corporate’s dedication on Twitter, including that “Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people — however they choose to play.” Spencer beforehand stated throughout an interview that the corporate intends to deal with Call of Duty like Minecraft that is obtainable throughout platforms and that he would “love to see [the game]” on the Switch. A ten-year dedication doubtlessly implies that the franchise will even be launched for the present Switch’s successors. 

In addition, Spencer has introduced on Twitter that Microsoft will proceed to supply CoD on Steam, alongside the Xbox, after the deal is closed. As The New York Times says, this announcement may very well be a transfer to appease the Federal Trade Commission and to get regulators on their aspect. The publication says the FTC is anticipated to debate the acquisition in a closed-door assembly on Thursday, the place the company will determine whether or not to take steps to dam the deal. 

A current report by Politico claimed that Microsoft did not persuade the FTC employees reviewing the acquisition with its arguments and that the fee will seemingly file an antitrust lawsuit to dam it as quickly as this month. The FTC is reportedly involved the acquisition would give Microsoft an unfair benefit and that it will scale back competitors out there. 

In an opinion piece written for The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft President Brad Smith defended the acquisition and argued that it is good for avid gamers. FTC suing to dam the deal “would be a huge mistake,” he stated, and would damage competitors within the trade as an alternative. Smith additionally stated that Microsoft supplied Sony, the loudest dissenting voice to the merger, a 10-year contract making certain all new CoD releases could be obtainable on the PlayStation the identical day they exit for the Xbox. “We’re open to providing the same commitment to other platforms and making it legally enforceable by regulators in the US, UK and European Union,” he wrote. Whether these efforts are sufficient to guarantee regulators that the acquisition would not be detrimental to the trade stays to be seen.