PlayStation's Call of Duty deal length with Microsoft revealed

The drama over Call of Duty's future on PlayStation seems to have finally reached its conclusion. Microsoft and Sony have seemingly settled on a deal that allows this popular FPS title to stay on the PS ecosystem for a period of 10 years. This comes after months of back-and-forth between the two companies over Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The move to acquire the video game giant was initially disapproved by Sony, and CEO Jim Ryan had indicated that he was hoping regulators would block the merger and publicly called the move "anti-competitive."

However, it appears that the two parties have reached a consensus after Xbox CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that PlayStation and Microsoft had signed a "binding agreement" that aims to keep Call of Duty games available on PS consoles, notwithstanding Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft's deal with Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation confirmed for 10 years

While Phil announced the deal between Microsoft and PlayStation, there was no information about how long it would last. The uncertainty regarding Call of Duty's future was always one of the main issues that were raised by Sony in case the merger involving Activision Blizzard and Microsoft went through. People wondered if COD would become a Windows and Xbox exclusive.

People were waiting to see how the acquisition would play out and what happened to Call of Duty. However, not many are impressed with the outcome; many pointed out that a ten-year deal had been put on the table months ago.

As per press sources, the ten-year deal to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation was confirmed by official spokespeople representing Xbox. This contract is almost identical to Microsoft's deals with other platforms, namely Nintendo, allowing the latter's games to stay on Xbox for the same period.

With FTC losing its case against Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the merger is expected to go on as planned. Sony will have to live with the decade-long contract as it stands.

About the author

Richik has been specializing in streamer content at Sportskeeda for over 2 years. He also manages a group of writers who craft relevant news and features about content creators on platforms like Twitch, Kick, and Rumble. Prior to Sportskeeda, he interned at The Ken and worked as a reviewer at Blacksof where he fact-checked educational content.

Richik’s love for writing, researching, and archiving, along with his inquisitive nature and longstanding love for video games led him to pursue a career as a gaming journalist. He relies on primary sources for accurate information and ensures that his drafts are proofread, fact-checked, and well-researched.

As a child, Richik spent many a summer vacation playing the 1994 Road Rash with his cousins. Although more of an FPS and open-world fiend now, Richik enjoys single-player RPGs with compelling storytelling, such as The Last of Us franchise, and regularly teams up with his friends to play multiplayer titles like Valorant on PC.

Richik enjoys watching streamer and former esports athlete Shroud, and also finds inspiration in MrBeast's journey to become one of the most well-known content creators worldwide. Interviewing English-Somali YouTuber Sharky, a member of the renowned Beta Squad, was a career highlight for him.

When not writing, Richik likes to read, watch a movie or a game of football.

Know More

Edited by Soumyadyuti Ghosh