Microsoft's Acquisition of Call of Duty May Sway Future Console Sales, Says Sony

According to a recent report, Sony has expressed concerns that Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard could impact future console sales. In a response to the Brazilian government, Sony stated that Call of Duty is synonymous with first-person shooter games and has a significant influence on users' console choices. The company noted that the game's massive development team and resources make it a unique entity in the gaming industry. With over 1,200 people working on each version and an additional 1,500 involved in publishing and distribution, Call of Duty has more developers than most game companies employ across their entire development portfolio. Sony emphasized that the game's popularity and loyal community make it difficult for competitors to rival, even with a similar product and sufficient budget. Following the announcement of Microsoft's acquisition, Xbox head Phil Spencer assured Sony that Microsoft intends to honor all existing agreements and keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. However, Microsoft had previously made contrary statements to the UK's Competition Markets Authority, downplaying the significance of Activision Blizzard's games. Sony is likely trying to prevent a situation where Call of Duty becomes exclusive to Microsoft platforms, and Microsoft has publicly stated its commitment to making Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation.