How PlayStation's worst fears about Call of Duty could still come true if the Xbox-Activision deal breaks down

The cold war between Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard has certainly picked up pace over the last month. When the deal was announced in January 2022, most experts anticipated a closure around mid-2023 after approval from due sources.

It's the same element that has brought the deal actively into the discussion. It's safe to claim that the negotiations so far haven't exactly gone as per Microsoft and Xbox's plans. This has largely been a result of the opposition put forward by none other than PlayStation. As things stand, Sony's console brand could become the loser even if the deal doesn't take place.

As far as Activision Blizzard is concerned, there has never been an issue over the potential takeover. The terms at which the acquisition is supposed to happen is well over the company's share value.

Getting majority approval from his staff wasn't an issue for CEO Bobby Kotick, who incidentally may not remain once the takeover is complete. But that hasn't ensured a swift completion, as the UK-based CMA has been playing hardball.

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PlayStation's supposed opposition to Microsoft Xbox and Activision Blizzard's deal could upset multiple parties

The major opposition to the potential deal between Xbox and Activision Blizzard has been CMA. The body has a history of blocking deals like the one that was supposed to occur between Nvidia and ARM. One major point CMA has used is to protect consumers, which is oddly similar to PlayStation's claim.

The bone of contention has always been Call of Duty, one of the most played games on the PlayStation console. Sony has claimed that the potential deal could end with the shooter franchise becoming an exclusive that won't be available on its console. This could be a major headache for the brand despite its position as a leader in the console market.

However, certain interesting developments have occurred since then, and one point, in particular, raises an interesting angle.

A few days back, Lulu Cheng Meservey, the EVP Corporate Affairs & Chief Communications Officer at Activision Blizzard, claimed on her social media account that the problem had never been the Call of Duty franchise. The bigger issue is the merger itself, which PlayStation wants to stop at all costs.

According to Lulu, Activision Blizzard and Xbox have promised deals to ensure Call of Duty will be available on the PlayStation consoles. Microsoft's gaming division has already signed 10-year deals with Nintendo and Nvidia to bring the former's titles onto the platforms.

But the problem for Sony is the merger itself, and president Jim Ryan has clarified it. This is where it could upset Activision Blizzard and trigger their greatest fears since last year.

Had PlayStation agreed to the deal, the potential acquisition could have been completed by now. Even if the investigations were ongoing, things would likely have been smoother. However, the complicated process and Sony's continuous refusal to take a deal could cause Xbox to return to its earlier promises of non-exclusivity.

At this point, Sony should hope the acquisition becomes successful because the alternative doesn't look promising. It's no rocket science that Activision Blizzard is set to profit massively once the takeover is complete. This could give them the additional funds and resources to help reboot the company.

PlayStation's position now is like a person attempting to stop wedlock between two agreed parties. As things have turned out, Call of Duty is no longer the bone of contention. A failure of the deal doesn't guarantee success for the Japanese console-maker.

Activision Blizzard will remain independent in making decisions if the takeover doesn't happen. They can still take Call of Duty and their other franchises off the hands of Sony's console. Given the multiplayer nature of the games, whether that's a sensible thing to do is debatable.

However, it's just an avenue that the US-based company could explore. If that happens, Sony cannot take them to court either, given it has entered exclusivity deals with third-party developers like Square Enix.

Hence, the future needs to be treaded very carefully as far as Jim Ryan is concerned. A major reason they want to block the deal is to ensure that Call of Duty remains in their hands. The same blockage could directly result in the franchise becoming exclusive to Xbox in the future.