A new 10-year agreement has been reached between Microsoft and Nintendo. The deal will ensure that the Call of Duty video games are available on Nintendo consoles if Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard closes.
According to reports from The Verge, the deal is a clear attempt to pressure Sony into accepting a similar offer. The decade-long length is similar to what Microsoft offered Sony earlier this week.
Now that Nintendo has agreed to the deal, Microsoft hopes that Sony will follow suit. If they do agree to the deal, each new Call of Duty release will also be available on PlayStation consoles the same day as XBox.
However, Sony has reportedly been warning regulators of its concerns surrounding the future of the first-person shooter video game franchise. A recent 10-year commitment by Sony followed a public back and forth between the Japanese corporation and Microsoft.
Additionally, Microsoft has promised to continue offering new versions of the video game franchise on Steam. These will launch simultaneously with the Call of Duty launches on XBox consoles.
On January 18, Microsoft officially announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for a whopping $68.7 billion.
If and when the acquisition closes and becomes official, the video game franchise will essentially belong to Microsoft’s corporation.
The first self-titled Call of Duty game was published and launched by Activision in 2003. Since then, the company has released 19 titles in the game’s main series.
The franchise remains one of the most popular in the world. According to a report from Paste Magazine earlier this year, the first-person shooter series is the third best-selling franchise of all time.
I think it’s safe to say that no matter the agreements in place, Call of Duty will continue to be played and enjoyed by gamers all over the world. With 425 million sales in 19 years, it beat out Super Mario and Grand Theft Auto for the third spot.
What do you think of the new agreement between Microsoft and Nintendo? Will Sony follow suit? Comment down below.