Rights to the mega-hit franchise, currently owned by Activision, will be handed over to Microsoft once the deal — the largest in the gaming industry's history — is finalized in 2023.
Hunting down your enemies on the bustling streets of Amsterdam, along the U.S.-Mexico border or in a Middle Eastern fishing village is just part of the intense action in the latest Call of Duty video game.
Rights to the mega-hit franchise, currently owned by Activision, will be handed over to Microsoft once the deal — the largest in the gaming industry's history — is finalized in 2023. Once in full control, whether Microsoft will allow Call of Duty games to remain on the Sony Xbox platform or choose to make it exclusive to GamePass is at question.
Among those listening to Sony's concerns are antitrust regulators in the United Kingdom who last month escalated their investigation into whether Microsoft could make Call of Duty and other titles exclusive to its Xbox platform or"otherwise degrade its rivals' access" by delaying releases or imposing licensing price increases.
While Brazil and Saudi Arabia have already approved the deal, it still awaits important decisions from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and authorities in the U.K. and the European Union. Microsoft told investors Tuesday that is still expects the deal to close by the first half of next year.