Sony’s disagreement on Microsoft’s latest remedies towards the Activision Blizzard deal’s approval have been made more apparent following a recent statement issued towards GamesIndustry.biz.
“Redacted versions of the observations filed by SIE and Microsoft on the CMA’s remedies notice were made public this week,” said Sony. “Information regarding the terms of an offer made by Microsoft to provide future Call of Duty releases on PlayStation was redacted at the request of Microsoft. We believe their current offer will irreparably harm competition and innovation in the industry.”
Previously, Sony had backed the UK’s Competition Markets Authority’s (CMA) strict proposed remedies for the acquisition to be approved. Both organizations shared concerns around the acquisition’s negative effect on competition due to gaining popular franchises like Call of Duty, and that a divestment of certain Activision Blizzard businesses was needed before either could agree.
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft disagreed with those terms, calling a possible divestment “…uncertain and impractical.” It claimed that a divestment would have “…severe adverse effects on the development of competition” and rather than protecting competition it stated that it would instead”…preserve the status quo.”
“…A divestment would preserve the status quo,” said Microsoft. “Whereby gamers on the dominant console platform, PlayStation, receive exclusive CoD benefits, which are not available to gamers on other platforms, including Xbox and PC.”
Microsoft has continued offering Sony and the CMA its own proposed remedies that many other companies within the gaming industry, like NVIDIA and Nintendo, have agreed to. Sony remains heavily skeptical in its stance with the CMA. That said the UK regulator’s final decision on the acquisition on April 26, a day after its EU counterpart.