Well here’s another nudge from Microsoft in its efforts to buy up Activision-Blizzard: As international regulators debate the merger, Microsoft inked a deal with Nintendo that promises to put Call of Duty on Nintendo devices with full Xbox parity for the next decade – assuming the merger happens.
The news came from Microsoft president Brad Smith on Twitter, of all places:
We’ve now signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo’s gamers. This is just part of our commitment to bring Xbox games and Activision titles like Call of Duty to more players on more platforms. pic.twitter.com/JmO0hzw1BO
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) February 21, 2023
This isn’t a total surprise, as the companies first floated the plan for this deal last fall.
As GIbiz notes, Microsoft pitched a “similar deal” to Sony, but PlayStation said it was “inadequate on many levels.” Activision-Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick said just a few weeks ago that Sony wasn’t answering the company’s calls.
While analysts believe the merger is likely to be approved in the end, there are still hurdles to clear in the form of the FTC, the European Commission, and the UK’s CMA. Putting this deal with Nintendo on paper certainly helps Microsoft’s case.
