Call of Duty on PlayStation could be no more.
Microsoft has announced the formal acquisition of video game developer and publisher Activision-Blizzard. The deal has massive implications for the future of both companies as well as Activision’s existing titles. So far, there has only been good news like the adding of Blizzard’s library to Xbox Game Pass. But that could quickly change when it comes to Activision-Blizzard’s presence on non-Microsoft platforms.
The Call of Duty series is among the most lucrative franchise in the company’s library. The first-person shooter series is known for appearing on as many platforms as possible, including PC, mobile, and several handheld consoles. The two obvious modern console choices are Xbox and PlayStation. All of the mainline CoD games since Call of Duty 3 have appeared on Sony’s platform. Microsoft’s Xbox is a direct competitor. Now that Microsoft is in control of the series, it could become exclusive to its platforms.
While there’s reason to believe that Call of Duty could eventually become an Xbox exclusive title, that probably won’t be the case for a couple of years. The CoD franchise comes out with a new mainline title every year. That means an incredibly quick development cycle. There’s a good chance that the next few Call of Duty games are already in development with PlayStation 5 in mind.
If 2022 and 2023’s Call of Duty releases already plan to include PlayStation, it is unlikely that Microsoft would stop their release on Sony’s platform. Selling additional copies is always a good thing. Call of Duty also takes pride in its current crossplay capabilities, so Xbox players have something to gain from a PlayStation release. Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick also stated that the company will continue to run independently for the foreseeable future. That’s a good sign for CoD fans on PlayStation.
But once Activision-Blizzard settles in as a Microsoft subsidiary, things could change. CoD would most likely become an Xbox exclusive within the next couple of years. Taking Call of Duty will away from PlayStation users would encourage gamers to purchase Xbox consoles instead, especially if the franchise keeps releasing new titles every year.
On the bright side, Call of Duty will almost certainly keep releasing on PC. Microsoft makes computers too, after all.
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