Sony claims to be incapable of competing with Call of Duty in the event that it becomes owned by Microsoft and exclusive to Xbox, via its successful first-party franchises: in terms of hours of play, revenues, or budget to be spent on the creation of its own exclusives.
Sony Interactive Entertainment [SIE] cannot protect itself from the loss of Call of Duty, according to a document related to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Sony said that SIE's main active first-person shooter franchise, Digestiny, has had only [percentuale nascosta] hours of play in 2021.
Microsoft states that it will not try to deter or prevent PS4 access as expected. It is more a selfish attempt to maintain market dominance than a position based on genuine concerns about the continued availability of Call of Duty, which it might have achieved months ago.
Sony keeps reaffirming that there are "few franchises that are equally as long-term and as lucrative for PlayStation" as Call of Duty, and that any effort to create a new competitor would have "no chance of success."
Sony has stated that their own development costs are "scaled down" compared to Call of Duty. Even God of War: Ragnarök, which Sony describes as its "greatest first-party title ever," cannot be compared. Call of Duty would cost $300 million annually, while Ragnarok's is censored by Sony.
The CMA's final decision will be published next month, by April 26, 2023.
