The battle over the Microsoft-Activision merger is still raging with Sony reportedly back in Brussels telling EU officials not to believe the Windows company when it promises to keep Call of Duty on rival platforms for at least 10 years. Microsoft made the promise weeks ago to preempt objections from Sony that Call of Duty would be made an Xbox-exclusive title should the merger be allowed to happen.While that promise also included a strange offer to also keep Call of Duty on Nintendo consoles, so far, the promise has yet to prevent the EU Commission from issuing a statement of objections to Microsoft and Activision Blizzard tying the corporate knot. A statement of objections is not a final "no," however, so Sony has once again returned to Brussels to argue against the merger.That's according to Microsoft chief communications officer Frank X. Shaw, who spoke out in a Twitter thread last weekend. "I hear Sony is briefing people in Brussels claiming Microsoft is unwilling to offer them parity for Call of Duty if we acquire Activision," he said. "Nothing could be further from the truth."
Shaw reaffirmed Microsoft's commitment to "parity on timing, content, features, quality, playability, and any other aspect" of Call of Duty's continued PlayStation presence. He also offered to make this parity enforceable via contract, regulatory body requirements, or "other means," which I assume to be thugs in trench coats threatening to break Phil Spencer's kneecaps.
"Our goal is to bring Call of Duty and other games – as we did with Minecraft – to more people around the world so they can play them where and how they want," Shaw added.
Microsoft will attempt to address EU objections over the next month, with the EU Commission scheduled to release its final decision in April.