Sony released a statement in response to Microsoft’s proposed deal to its Japanese competitor. The PlayStation manufacturer also criticized the Redmond giant for having retained certain clauses of the “harmful” offer.
As GamesIndustry.biz reports, Sony has issued yet another expression of dissatisfaction with the terms of Microsoft’s proposed 10-year deal for Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles. In a statement, the Japanese company said the bid would “irreparably harm competition and innovation in the industry.” In addition, representatives of the Redmond giant are said to have pressured British officials to redact the text, withholding details from the letter.
“Redacted versions of comments filed by SIE and Microsoft on the CMA 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 its current offering will irreparably harm competition and innovation in the industry,” Sony’s statement to GamesIndustry.biz read.
Recall that Microsoft, in order to complete the issue of the merger with Activision Blizzard, offered Sony an agreement to publish future episodes of Call of Duty (Call of Duty) on PlayStation consoles. The offer included, among other things, the guarantee of the same quality of games on all platforms, and was a kind of answer to concerns that the Redmond giant could deliberately provide faulty versions of Cod for PS consoles.
Interestingly, during recent hearings in Brussels, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan, in response to Microsoft’s offer, said he was “not interested in a new Call of Duty deal” adding, “All what I want is to block this union”.
It seems that the whole, instead of going towards an end, becomes more and more tense and confused. But let’s cross our fingers for an imminent breakthrough, as the fight between Sony and Microsoft increasingly tires and discourages gamers, the camp that should be the most important in this whole conflict.