Because Sony plays a significant role in preventing Microsoft’s transaction with Activision Blizzard, the manufacturer of the Xbox has made the decision to highlight the activities of the Japanese. The request that was submitted by the company that is responsible for PlayStation was denied by the FTC, which means that regulators will obtain a lot of particular information regarding the activities of Jim Ryan’s team.
Since more than a year ago, Sony has been making efforts to prevent Microsoft from reaching an agreement with Activision Blizzard. The company is apparently concerned that Phil Spencer may restrict access to the Call of Duty video game franchise for PlayStation users. At the same time, the company intends to enter into agreements with other companies, such as Square Enix and Bloober Team, to eliminate Xbox from target platforms. These platforms might include Final Fantasy XVI or Silent Hill 2 Remake.
This is the reason why Microsoft requested that Sony submit 45 pages of documents that contain precise data on the Japanese company’s interaction with third-party partners. The PlayStation manufacturer attempted to resist this request, but officials want to know the details.
Microsoft demanded that Sony provide over copies of all third-party license agreements, as well as “all drafts and discussions relating” SIE CEO Jim Ryan’s response to the FTC. Microsoft also demanded that Sony provide an explanation for the delay.
The Federal Trade Commission nearly entirely denied Sony’s request, despite the company’s attempts to explain that the process of acquiring the data would be too time-consuming and costly.
The chief administrative judge of the FTC confirmed that he wanted to see “every content licensing agreement” that Sony had with third-party publishers. Here, Sony may really be talking about a half-success, because while Microsoft wanted the documents from January 1, 2012, the FTC agreed to provide records from January 1, 2019 to the present day. Sony may really be talking about success in this regard.
If Microsoft’s statement is validated, then officials should look at the PlayStation manufacturer’s conduct regarding Call of Duty differently. Despite everything, Sony will be required to present multiple signed contracts that, according to Microsoft, exclude Xbox from target platforms.