Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Gaming division, said on Twitter that his company will commit to deliver the “Call of Duty” saga to the consoles of the Japanese Nintendo (includes the popular Switch) for the next 10 years.
The offer comes as regulators from different countries are analyzing the purchase of the video game giant Activision Blizzard, creator of the first-person shooter saga, by the American Microsoft.
Regulators fear that the purchase of Activision, which owns highly profitable franchises, could drastically disrupt the gaming industry and severely hit Microsoft’s competition, both Sony and Nintendo.
Weeks ago, Microsoft offered to bring the “Call of Duty” franchise to PlayStation consoles for 10 years as well, in a move that sought to calm Sony so that it would not continue to pressure regulators and definitely hinder the purchase of Activision.
The 10 years is supposed to be long enough for Call of Duty to be available throughout the entire lifecycle of PlayStation 5 and presumably at the start of a potential PlayStation 6.
Microsoft has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to @Nintendo following the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King. Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people – however they choose to play. @ATVI_AB
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 7, 2022
Microsoft, Call of Duty, Nintendo and Sony
The doubt of the experts is to know if the Nintendo Switch platform will be able to support the same version of Call of Duty that Activision Blizzard is using today on Xbox and Playstation 5.
In this regard, Spencer told the The Washington Post that the company has experience producing video games for Nintendo consoles.
On the other hand, the fact that the agreement proposed by Microsoft has an extension of 10 years does not mean that, after that date, the company will withdraw the titles of the other consoles.
Spencer stressed that, on numerous occasions, the decade is detailed for legal reasons, but Microsoft’s idea is to “go further”.
Spencer told the WP: “You have to choose an expiration date, not with the goal that the agreement will ever end, but because the law has to indicate an end date. However, once we start working with a platform, as it was with Minecraft, both on PlayStation and Nintendo, the goal will be to continue supporting our customers.”
The launch of “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” was a total success, as it has come close to selling out “Call of Duty: Vanguard” in just one week.
Although it has only been in stores for a short time, the latest version of Activision’s flagship game is looking to become the best-selling installment of the year.
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