Sony: Activision tells why Sony keep refusing Microsoft’s Call of Duty offer – Times of India

Microsoft and Sony have been at odds over the former’s purchase of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard. Sony is concerned that the Windows maker might make the game exclusive to Xbox but those claims have fallen flat after Microsoft announced multi-year deals with Nintendo and Nvidia. The company has also offered a 10-year deal to Sony but it has been rejecting it for reasons unknown. But Activision has an answer.
As per Lulu Cheng Meservey, who is the executive vice president, corporate affairs and chief communications officer at Activision Blizzard, Sony doesn’t want a deal and just wants to block the merger.
“Microsoft offered Sony (the dominant console leader for well over a decade, with 80% market share) a 10 year agreement on far better terms than Sony would ever get from us. We’ve also offered Sony guaranteed long-term access to Call of Duty. But they keep refusing. Why?,” she wrote in a tweet.
“The CEO of SIE answered that question in Brussels. In his words: ‘I don’t want a new Call of Duty deal. I just want to block your merger’,” she said, adding that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) president and CEO Jim Ryan said these words on February 21.

Microsoft’s defence of Activision Blizzard deal
The date and place in Meservey’s tweet are significant because it was on February 21 when Microsoft president Brad Smith defended the $69 billion acquisition of the video game company at the EU hearing in Brussels. Smith also said that Sony hasn’t responded to its 10-year licensing offer and he carries the envelope with the deal with him.

Sony’s changed narrative?
Initially, Sony claimed that Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard will harm the competition because the company will make Call of Duty games an Xbox-exclusive. However, Microsoft’s deals with Nintendo and Nvidia punctured those claims.
In its recent narrative, Sony raised concerns saying that the Windows maker might sabotage the game for the PlayStation in terms of quality and performance compared to Xbox.
It is to be noted that Sony’s current deal with Activision for Call of Duty expires in 2024. The European Commission will announce a decision on the acquisition on April 25. It has been reported that the deal is close to being approved.