New twist in the case of the takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. This time it’s even about the PS6. Here’s what we can learn.
Definitely the acquisition of the publisher Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is still worthy of a Netflix series. This time it does not concern state regulatory bodies but rather directly Sony’s future PS6 console. Clearly this is a fierce counterattack against the American giant.
The PS6 at the heart of the debate
It was during a deposition with the Federal Trade Commission (whose main mission is the application of consumer law and the control of commercial practices in the USA) that Jim Ryan, CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment made a shock statement. Obviously it was to be expected but when it’s official the argument is even more powerful. The man thus revealed that the console manufacturer would not disclose information about the PS6 to Activision if the publishing giant was acquired by Microsoft. In short, a blackmail which allows to put a new grain of sand, to see downright a stick in the cogs of the redemption. In particular, he specifies that Sony would be obliged to withhold information about the PS6 if Activision was owned by Microsoft. You can find the full document that makes this mention in the tweet below:
All this remains to be taken with a grain of salt in the sense that in an earlier statement from December 2022, Jim Ryan made it very clear that PlayStation and Activision were collaborating on technical features for the franchise. call of duty. We can suspect that this is information on the hardware of the PS6 without further proof, since the whole thing is also censored. Note that in his testimony, Jim Ryan was also asked about the collaboration between Sony and Mojang (the giant behind Minecraft) after its acquisition by Microsoft. Alas, the details of that discussion have been deleted but Ryan says it reinforced the concerns raised by Sony.
A stalled collaboration?
Whether it is a purely ethical aspect or for the good health of video games as a whole, it is essential that industry players ensure close collaboration between the different companies. We know, for example, that call of duty, even in the event of a takeover by Microsoft, is scheduled to be released for several more episodes on PlayStation. But what if Sony refuses to provide more information to Activision on the PS6? This risks giving rise at best to a PlayStation version at a discount or at worst to a big delay between the two platforms or even an outright cancellation.
What do you think of Jim Ryan’s statements about the PS6?