The UK CMA has published another new document related to the ongoing Activision Blizzard saga this week, this time focusing on Microsoft's responses to the CMA's questions at a recent remedies hearing.
You can take a look at the full document for yourself if you want to, but the bit that stands out to us relates to Microsoft's answer about a potential 10-year Call of Duty deal for Sony and PlayStation, and whether this duration is sufficient.
Basically, Microsoft thinks that this period of time should be more than enough for Sony to "develop alternatives" to Call of Duty. Plus, the company has argued that the "practical effect" of the remedy will actually go beyond ten years.
Here's what the document says:
"At the Remedies Hearing the CMA asked Microsoft if the 10-year duration is sufficient and whether there would be a “cliff edge” for Sony at the end of this period. The 10- year period is [REDACTED]. Microsoft considers that a period of 10 years is sufficient for Sony, as a leading publisher and console platform, to develop alternatives to CoD. The 10-year term will extend into the next console generation [REDACTED]."
"Moreover, the practical effect of the remedy will go beyond the 10-year period, since games downloaded in the final year of the remedy can continue to be played for the lifetime of that console (and beyond, with backwards compatibility)."
Interesting stuff, then, although keep in mind that Sony has still yet to agree to any kind of Call of Duty deal with Microsoft, and based on what we're hearing lately, it seems the company may never reach an agreement.
It's ultimately not up to Sony though - it's the CMA, European Commission and FTC that Microsoft needs to convince - and if those three end up agreeing to the acquisition, Sony will have little choice but to make the best of it.