It Will Take Longer Than Expected for Call of Duty Games to Hit Xbox Game Pass
According to a Microsoft assertion, the extremely anticipated launch of Call of Duty video games on Xbox Game Pass might take longer than anticipated. Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is ongoing and never with out problems. That hasn’t minimized pleasure for Call of Duty releases to return to Xbox Game Pass as soon as the acquisition has been accomplished, nevertheless. But even with a fast and well timed acquisition, there are hurdles that might hold Call of Duty away for a while but.
The Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard has hit some hurdles, significantly with the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA has been significantly receptive to Sony’s argument that releasing Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass would make its subscription service difficult to compete with. As a end result, Microsoft has made some vital concessions, whereas additionally revealing a shocking quantity of data relating to present Call of Duty contracts.
In one response to the CMA, Microsoft explains that even when it wished to, it may’t put Call of Duty video games on Xbox Game Pass “for various years.” That’s as a result of Activision Blizzard and Sony have already got an settlement. This settlement, apparently, restricts the power of Activision Blizzard from placing Call of Duty video games on Xbox Game Pass. This settlement precedes the acquisition, however Microsoft could be beholden to it after the acquisition closes.
There are not any particular particulars supplied by Microsoft relating to this settlement. It’s unclear what number of years it will final, what Call of Duty video games could be “restricted,” or what deal Sony made that included these restrictions. What it does clarify is that Sony has been working to counter the opportunity of Call of Duty being launched on Xbox Game Pass for a while.
Needless to say, the acquisition of Activision Blizzard may be very messy and even when the UK’s CMA in the end lets the acquisition by, Microsoft has loads of different hurdles to cross afterward. Regardless of the place followers stand relating to the way forward for Call of Duty, it is in all probability for the most effective {that a} $69 billion acquisition faces a major quantity of evaluation. And even higher that Call of Duty does not turn into platform unique with the flip of a swap, at Microsoft’s whim.
