, , , , , ,

After months of competition complaints, Sony agrees to 10-year Call of Duty deal

Artist's conception of Microsoft marching toward a final Activision deal after mooting competition concerns from Sony and the FTC.

Enlarge / Artist’s conception of Microsoft marching toward a final Activision deal after mooting competition concerns from Sony and the FTC. (credit: Activision)

Sony and Microsoft signed a binding agreement over the weekend ensuring that Call of Duty will remain on PlayStation for at least 10 years after Microsoft’s proposed purchase of Activision is complete. The agreement, which Sony had resisted signing for months, effectively ends a bitter battle between the two console giants over the alleged anti-competitive effects of Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision purchase, which was first proposed back in January 2022.

The new agreement also effectively moots one of the most significant arguments made by the FTC in its federal case to block the merger, which failed to earn an FTC-sought injunction last week. And it’s likely not a coincidence that the agreement with Sony was announced just one day after a federal appeals court denied the FTC’s request for an appeal over that injunction decision.

The deal, as announced over the weekend by Xbox Chief Phil Spencer and Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, doesn’t seem to include a promise of PlayStation access to any of Activision Blizzard’s other popular franchises (including Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Overwatch, Diablo, and more). But the fate of Call of Duty has long been the major focus of both Sony and regulators. Court documents revealed that Call of Duty alone is worth at least $800 million in annual revenue to Sony and that up to 20 million PlayStation owners spend a significant portion of their console playtime on the series (including 1 million PlayStation owners who literally play no other games on the system).

Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

https://arstechnica.com/?p=1954258


December 2024
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  

About Us

Welcome to encircle News! We are a cutting-edge technology news company that is dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in everything tech. From automobiles to drones, software to hardware, we’ve got you covered.

At encircle News, we believe that technology is more than just a tool, it’s a way of life. And we’re here to help you stay on top of all the latest trends and developments in this ever-evolving field. We know that technology is constantly changing, and that can be overwhelming, but we’re here to make it easy for you to keep up.

We’re a team of tech enthusiasts who are passionate about everything tech and love to share our knowledge with others. We believe that technology should be accessible to everyone, and we’re here to make sure it is. Our mission is to provide you with fun, engaging, and informative content that helps you to understand and embrace the latest technologies.

From the newest cars on the road to the latest drones taking to the skies, we’ve got you covered. We also dive deep into the world of software and hardware, bringing you the latest updates on everything from operating systems to processors.

So whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a business professional, or just someone who wants to stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in technology, encircle News is the place for you. Join us on this exciting journey and be a part of shaping the future.

Podcasts

TWiT 1011: The Year in Review – A Look at the Top Stories of 2024 This Week in Tech (Audio)

What's behind the tech industry's mass layoffs in 2024? : NPR Rabbit R1 AI Assistant: Price, Specs, Release Date | WIRED Stealing everything you've ever typed or viewed on your own Windows PC is now possible with two lines of code — inside the Copilot+ Recall disaster. Microsoft delays Recall after security concerns, and asks Windows Insiders for help The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Architecture Deep Dive: Getting To Know Oryon and Adreno X1 Elon Musk: First Human Receives Neuralink Brain Chip Apple hit with €1.8bn fine for breaking EU law over music streaming Bluesky emerges The hidden high cost of return-to-office mandates Apple's Car Was Doomed by Its Lofty Ambitions to Outdo Tesla SpaceX pulls off unprecedented feat, grabs descending rocket with mechanical arms U.S. versus Apple: A first reaction Google Says It Won't Force Gemini on Partners in Antitrust Remedy Proposal U.S. Accuses Chinese Hackers of Targeting Critical Infrastructure in America U.S. Agency Warns Employees About Phone Use Amid Ongoing China Hack AT&T says criminals stole phone records of 'nearly all' customers in new data breach National Public Data confirms breach exposing Social Security numbers Schools Want to Ban Phones. Parents Say No. New York passes legislation that would ban 'addictive' social media algorithms for kids GPT-4o (omni) + new "Her"-style AI assistant (it's nuts) Google emissions jump nearly 50% over five years as AI use surges Trump proposes strategic national crypto stockpile at Bitcoin Conference Ten additional US states join DOJ antitrust lawsuit looking to break up Live Nation and TicketmasterThe Internet Archive just lost its appeal over ebook lending Hezbollah Pagers Explode in Apparent Attack Across Lebanon OpenAI raises $6.6 billion in largest VC round ever Painting by A.I.-Powered Robot Sells for $1.1 Million Netflix's Live Mike Tyson Vs. Jake Paul Fight Battling Sound & Streaming Glitches In Lead-Up To Main Event Infowars Sale to The Onion Rejected by Federal Bankruptcy Judge Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to TikTok ban So You Want to Solve the NJ Drone Mystery? Our Expert Has Some Ideas Beeper's push for iMessage on Android is really over The Quiet Death of Ello's Big Dreams Japan finally ends mandatory form submission on floppy disks We'll Miss You: Pioneering instant messaging program ICQ is finally shutting down after nearly 30 years Spotify is going to break every Car Thing gadget it ever sold Game Informer to Shut Down After 33 Years In Memoriam Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Richard Campbell, and Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: bitwarden.com/twit
  1. TWiT 1011: The Year in Review – A Look at the Top Stories of 2024
  2. TWiT 1010: The Densest State in the US – TikTok Ban, Drones Over Jersey, GM Quits Robotaxis
  3. TWiT 1009: Andy Giveth & Bill Taketh Away – Trump's Tech Titans, Crypto Boom, TikTok's US Ban, Intel CEO Exits
  4. TWiT 1008: Internet Legal – Australia's Social Media Ban for Kids, Smart Home Nightmare, Bluesky's Ascent
  5. TWiT 1007: All the Hotdogs in the World – China's "Salt Typhoon" Hack, Google on the Chopping Block, Recall AI