Sony and Microsoft reach new “binding agreement” to ensure Call of Duty remains on PlayStation

Sony has secured a binding agreement with Microsoft to ensure that Call of Duty games will continue to be available on PlayStation consoles. This announcement was made by Xbox boss Phil Spencer on Twitter, although specific details regarding the terms and timeline of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed yet.

“We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard,” tweeted Spencer. “We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games.”

While Microsoft still faces challenges from the UK government’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA), which blocked the merger due to concerns about creating a gaming monopoly, this agreement brings Microsoft closer to its $69 billion acquisition. The acquisition must be completed by July 18, 2023, or Microsoft will be required to pay Activision a $3 million breakup fee and renegotiate the terms.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently lost its final appeal against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, allowing the takeover to proceed as planned. Despite scrutiny from governments worldwide, Microsoft’s victory in the FTC battle, where a federal judge ruled in favor of the acquisition, led to the FTC filing a notice of appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in an attempt to reverse the decision.

However, the Ninth Circuit has now denied the motion of injunctive relief, granting Microsoft the freedom to complete the $69 billion acquisition. “We appreciate the Ninth Circuit’s swift response denying the FTC’s motion to further delay the deal,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice chair and president. “This brings us another step closer to the finish line in this marathon of global regulatory reviews.”