Microsoft and Sony sign deal to keep Activision's Call of Duty on PlayStation

Sony has signed a binding statement with Microsoft to support Call of Duty connected its PlayStation gaming consoles after closing the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft said connected Sunday.

"We are pleased to denote that Microsoft and PlayStation person signed a binding statement to support Call of Duty connected PlayStation pursuing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said connected Twitter Sunday.

Activision is the shaper of the best-selling Call of Duty lineup. Regulators astir the satellite had expressed important interest astir Microsoft's powerfulness implicit the gaming marketplace if an Activision acquisition was approved.

Microsoft is the shaper of the Xbox, which competes straight with Sony's PlayStation, prompting fears that Microsoft would beryllium capable to marque games "exclusive" to its ain consoles and displace Sony from competition.

The woody does thing to ameliorate those concerns, though Microsoft and Sony aren't disclosing the duration of the agreement. A Microsoft spokesperson did enactment the woody was successful spot for the agelong term. The institution has signed similar deals successful the past.

Anti-competitive concerns were shared by the CEO of Sony's interactive amusement division, Jim Ryan, arsenic precocious arsenic past month. Ryan, whose portfolio includes PlayStation, said that helium thought the projected Activision Blizzard acquisition was not bully for contention successful videotaped June testimony.

Microsoft vice seat Brad Smith said connected Twitter Sunday that adjacent aft a imaginable woody closes, Microsoft "will stay focused connected ensuring that Call of Duty remains disposable connected much platforms and for much consumers than ever before."

The acquisition isn't definite to close, though Microsoft and Activision's prospects are markedly amended aft a national appeals justice prevented the Federal Trade Commission from temporarily blocking the deal. The FTC had sued to halt the woody successful San Francisco national tribunal successful July but had failed to person a justice that the woody would airs a capable anti-competitive risk.

Regulators successful the EU signed off connected the woody successful May. The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, which has forced divestitures and blocked anterior tech deals, said connected Wednesday that it was prepared to negociate with Microsoft implicit the presumption of the deal.

The 2 companies are aiming to implicit their transaction by Tuesday, July 18.