Microsoft and Sony sign deal to keep Activision's Call of Duty on PlayStation

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Sony signed a binding 10-year deal with Microsoft to keep the best-selling Call of Duty series available on PlayStation.

The deal ameliorates some concerns that Microsoft would use its power in the gaming market to cement dominance after the close of its Activision Blizzard acquisition.

Sony executives held concerns as recently as last month that the deal would have anti-competitive effects.

In this article

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Sony has signed a binding, 10-year agreement with Microsoft to keep Call of Duty on its PlayStation gaming consoles after closing the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft said on Sunday.

"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," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said on Twitter Sunday.

related investing news

Jim Cramer gauges the threat of Microsoft's cybersecurity foray on Palo Alto Networks stock

Morgan Chittum

Activision is the maker of the best-selling Call of Duty lineup. Regulators around the world had expressed significant concern about Microsoft's power over the gaming market if an Activision acquisition was approved.

Microsoft is the manufacturer of the Xbox, which competes directly with Sony's PlayStation, prompting fears that Microsoft would be able to make games "exclusive" to its own consoles and displace Sony from competition.

The deal does something to ameliorate those concerns, although Microsoft and Sony aren't disclosing the duration of the agreement. A Microsoft spokesperson noted the deal was in place for the long term. The company has signed similar deals in the past.

Anti-competitive concerns were shared by the CEO of Sony's interactive entertainment division, Jim Ryan, as recently as last month. Ryan, whose portfolio includes PlayStation, said that he thought the proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition was not good for competition in videotaped June testimony.

Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith said on Twitter Sunday that even after a potential deal closes, Microsoft "will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before."

The acquisition isn't certain to close, although Microsoft and Activision's prospects are markedly better after a federal appeals judge prevented the Federal Trade Commission from temporarily blocking the deal. The FTC had sued to stop the deal in San Francisco federal court in July but had failed to convince a judge that the deal would pose a sufficient anti-competitive risk.

Regulators in the EU signed off on the deal in May. The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, which has forced divestitures and blocked prior tech deals, said on Wednesday that it was prepared to negotiate with Microsoft over the terms of the deal.

The two companies are aiming to complete their transaction by Tuesday, July 18.

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Skip Navigation. watch live. Markets. Pre-Markets. U.S. Markets. Currencies. Cryptocurrency. Futures & Commodities. Bonds. Funds & ETFs. Business. Economy. Finance. Health & Science. Media. Real Estate. Energy. Climate. Transportation. Industrials. Retail. Wealth. Life. Small Business. Investing. Personal Finance. Fintech. Financial Advisors. Options Action. ETF Street. Buffett Archive. Earnings. Trader Talk. Tech. Cybersecurity. Enterprise. Internet. Media. Mobile. Social Media. CNBC Disruptor 50. Tech Guide. Politics. White House. Policy. Defense. Congress. Equity and Opportunity. CNBC TV. Live TV. Live Audio. Business Day Shows. Entertainment Shows. Full Episodes. Latest Video. Top Video. CEO Interviews. CNBC Documentaries. CNBC Podcasts. CNBC World. Digital Originals. Live TV Schedule. Watchlist. Investing Club. Trust Portfolio. Analysis. Trade Alerts. Meeting Videos. Homestretch. Jim's Columns. Education. PRO. Pro News. Pro Live. Market Forecast. Subscribe. Sign In. Menu. Make It. select ALL SELECT Credit Cards Loans Banking Mortgages Insurance Credit Monitoring Personal Finance Small Business Taxes Help for Low Credit Scores Investing SELECT All Credit Cards Find the Credit Card for You Best Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Travel Credit Cards Best 0% APR Credit Cards Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Credit Card Welcome Bonuses Best Credit Cards to Build Credit SELECT All Loans Find the Best Personal Loan for You Best Personal Loans Best Debt Consolidation Loans Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt Best Loans with Fast Funding Best Small Personal Loans Best Large Personal Loans Best Personal Loans to Apply Online Best Student Loan Refinance SELECT All Banking Find the Savings Account for You Best High Yield Savings Accounts Best Big Bank Savings Accounts Best Big Bank Checking Accounts Best No Fee Checking Accounts No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts Best Checking Account Bonuses Best Money Market Accounts Best CDs Best Credit Unions SELECT All Mortgages Best Mortgages Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment Best Mortgages for No Down Payment Best Mortgages with No Origination Fee Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score Adjustable Rate Mortgages Affording a Mortgage SELECT All Insurance Best Life Insurance Best Homeowners Insurance Best Renters Insurance Best Car Insurance Travel Insurance SELECT All Credit Monitoring Best Credit Monitoring Services Best Identity Theft Protection How to Boost Your Credit Score Credit Repair Services SELECT All Personal Finance Best Budgeting Apps Best Expense Tracker Apps Best Money Transfer Apps Best Resale Apps and Sites Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps Best Debt Relief SELECT All Small Business Best Small Business Savings Accounts Best Small Business Checking Accounts Best Credit Cards for Small Business Best Small Business Loans Best Tax Software for Small Business SELECT All Taxes Best Tax Software Best Tax Software for Small Businesses Tax Refunds SELECT All Help for Low Credit Scores Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit Best Credit Cards for Building Credit Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Best Mortgages for Bad Credit Best Hardship Loans How to Boost Your Credit Score SELECT All Investing Best IRA Accounts Best Roth IRA Accounts Best Investing Apps Best Free Stock Trading Platforms Best Robo-Advisors Index Funds Mutual Funds ETFs Bonds. USA. INTL. watch live. Search quotes, news & videos. Watchlist. SIGN IN. Create free account. Markets. Business. Investing. Tech. Politics. CNBC TV. Watchlist. Investing Club. PRO. Menu. Tech. Rohan Goswami. @in/rohangoswamicnbc/ @rogoswami. Jordan Novet. @jordannovet. WATCH LIVE. Sony signed a binding 10-year deal with Microsoft to keep the best-selling Call of Duty series available on PlayStation. The deal ameliorates some concerns that Microsoft would use its power in the gaming market to cement dominance after the close of its Activision Blizzard acquisition. Sony executives held concerns as recently as last month that the deal would have anti-competitive effects. In this article. MSFT. 6758.T-JP. Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT. Sony has signed a binding, 10-year agreement with Microsoft to keep Call of Duty on its PlayStation gaming consoles after closing the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft said on Sunday. "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," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said on Twitter Sunday. related investing news. Jim Cramer gauges the threat of Microsoft's cybersecurity foray on Palo Alto Networks stock. Morgan Chittum. Activision is the maker of the best-selling Call of Duty lineup. Regulators around the world had expressed significant concern about Microsoft's power over the gaming market if an Activision acquisition was approved. Microsoft is the manufacturer of the Xbox, which competes directly with Sony's PlayStation, prompting fears that Microsoft would be able to make games "exclusive" to its own consoles and displace Sony from competition. The deal does something to ameliorate those concerns, although Microsoft and Sony aren't disclosing the duration of the agreement. A Microsoft spokesperson noted the deal was in place for the long term. The company has signed similar deals in the past. Anti-competitive concerns were shared by the CEO of Sony's interactive entertainment division, Jim Ryan, as recently as last month. Ryan, whose portfolio includes PlayStation, said that he thought the proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition was not good for competition in videotaped June testimony. Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith said on Twitter Sunday that even after a potential deal closes, Microsoft "will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before." The acquisition isn't certain to close, although Microsoft and Activision's prospects are markedly better after a federal appeals judge prevented the Federal Trade Commission from temporarily blocking the deal. The FTC had sued to stop the deal in San Francisco federal court in July but had failed to convince a judge that the deal would pose a sufficient anti-competitive risk. Regulators in the EU signed off on the deal in May. The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, which has forced divestitures and blocked prior tech deals, said on Wednesday that it was prepared to negotiate with Microsoft over the terms of the deal. The two companies are aiming to complete their transaction by Tuesday, July 18. Subscribe to CNBC PRO. Licensing & Reprints. CNBC Councils. Select Personal Finance. CNBC on Peacock. Join the CNBC Panel. Supply Chain Values. Select Shopping. Closed Captioning. Digital Products. News Releases. Internships. Corrections. About CNBC. Ad Choices. Site Map. Podcasts. Careers. Help. Contact. News Tips. Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you. Get In Touch. Advertise With Us. Please Contact Us. CNBC Newsletters. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Sign Up Now. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Privacy Policy. |. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. |. CA Notice. |. Terms of Service. © 2023 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved. A Division of NBCUniversal. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Market Data Terms of Use and Disclaimers. Data also provided by.