Sony Interactive Entertainment released a statement in which it claims it was Microsoft that requested the information be removed from a document to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). This information relates to the details of Microsoft’s offer to release Call of Duty games on PlayStation in order to appease Sony over the proposed merger between Microsoft and Activision. Although the exact offer has been removed, Sony believes its offer will “irreparably harm competition”.
The legal fight between Microsoft and Sony does not seem to be over
A new statement from Sony says that Microsoft’s current Call of Duty offer will “irreparably harm competition” and says it was Microsoft who requested the wording of the public presentation of the deal it offered to playstation pic.twitter.com/5rztGqTvku
—Esteban Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 10, 2023
For some context, this document is the same where Sony says Microsoft and Activision may deliberately bug Call of Duty on PS5 and PS4 to convince gamers to switch to Xbox platforms. So you can take it as you wish. That said, Sony is apparently playing hardball on a new statement, as noted. per tweet by Stephen Totilo at Axios:
Redacted versions of comments filed by SIE and Microsoft on the AMC notice of appeal were made public this week. Information regarding the terms of an offer made by Microsoft to provide future versions of Call of Duty on PlayStation has been removed at Microsoft’s request. We believe that your current offering will irreparably harm competition and innovation in the industry.
This is just the latest in what appears to be a long legal battle between Microsoft and Sony over the acquisition of Activision. Xbox has argued that the deal will force Sony to improve PlayStation Plus, while Activision accuses Sony of simply wanting to sabotage the deal entirely. That being said, merger still faces a tough challenge in the UK.