Sony told regulators in the UK that they were “irrational” to have sided with Microsoft in the fight on the proposed Microsoft-Activision merger. One reason: Microsoft could be sabotaging the future Call of Duty games by making performance uniform slightly worse on PlayStation – because gamers are apparently so savvy it could make them jump to Xbox.
Although Sony has previously stated that Microsoft’s merger with Activision Blizzard, which makes Call of Duty Games, could harm the franchise on PlayStation, the company’s latest arguments become even more specific. This time around, Sony says Microsoft won’t feel the need “to use advanced PlayStation features not found on Xbox.” He even goes so far as to say that “degrading the experience on PlayStation would benefit Xbox”.
In an attempt to prove what appears to be just how detail-oriented – or corny – gamers are, Sony cites articles from Digital foundry And VG technology that compare the performance of Modern Warfare II on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Sony says that if there are even the “tiniest changes in a game’s performance”, gamers will gather in forums, chat rooms and chat sessions. game to discuss. I can’t really argue with that point since it absolutely happens, but I still can’t imagine a single Call of Duty blip on PlayStation, causing someone to completely switch consoles.
“Gamers engage with every title in the franchise immediately after release, are acutely aware of a game’s price, quality, and features, and regularly compare the quality, performance, and features of their favorite games across PlayStation and Xbox,” writes Sony. “The level of social conversation surrounding consoles and games is extremely high.”
Like my colleague Tom Warren previously wroteMicrosoft is unlikely to attempt to sabotage Call of Duty on PlayStation after its merger, as the company would almost inevitably receive a huge backlash from gamers doing so. If anything, Microsoft and Activision may just prioritize fixing bugs on Xbox first, since developers are more used to it.
And while the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) initially quoted Minecraft As an example of a game that Microsoft continued to license the title to other platforms after acquiring it, Sony says that’s not a fair comparison to make. “Minecraft is very different from Call of Dutysays Sony, noting that it has “block graphics” that don’t offer a “major showcase of a new console’s technical capabilities.” It also states that Minecraft “drives nothing like the level of gameplay, engagement, or purchase decisions like Call of Duty.” Alright, as Minecraft player, that kind of hurt.
While Sony has some valid concerns, I think it may be the one that gets borderline “irrational” – not the CMA.