Determining what the correct answer for the Activision Blizzard deal handled by Microsoft should lead is worth talking about. While many consider it a monopoly, Microsoft’s rebuttal is the platform would still be outperformed by competitors even if there is no obstacles for the $70 billion deal. Most recently, Microsoft revealed its ten-year commitment to deliver Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms according to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.
In the past, Microsoft shared a similar effort to evolve Call of Duty into a multiplatform IP just to how it handled Minecraft since its Mojang acquisition. Around the same time, the firm was reported to be sending letters to PlayStation on its efforts to meet common ground. In response, President & CEO Jim Ryan expressed the attempt to be “inadequate” at the very least.
Well according to a statement to Kotaku, Valve founder Gabe Newell actually backs the Microsoft effort and shares that his firm is not against the ambition of the Xbox team. Furthermore explaining that establishing a deal for an IP is also unnecessary on its behalf with partners.
We’re happy that Microsoft wants to continue using Steam to reach customers with Call of Duty when their Activision acquisition closes. Microsoft has been on Steam for a long time and we take it as a signal that they are happy with gamers reception to that and the work we are doing. Our job is to keep building valuable features for not only Microsoft but all Steam customers and partners.
Microsoft offered and even sent us a draft agreement for a long-term Call of Duty commitment but it wasn’t necessary for us because a) we’re not believers in requiring any partner to have an agreement that locks them to shipping games on Steam into the distant future b) Phil and the games team at Microsoft have always followed through on what they told us they would do so we trust their intentions and c) we think Microsoft has all the motivation they need to be on the platforms and devices where Call of Duty customers want to be.
With the latest installment, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, it is the first game in over a handful of years to be releasing on Steam for the franchise. And in a short time after launching, it was already reported to double sales of previous installments through other means. So it is obvious Valve would follow Microsoft’s in its path with Steam in the picture for the future.
Surprisingly, Newell is not the only one to back the new purchase from Xbox. In a previous interview, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick elaborated on him favoring the deal to pull through to bring more competition to the market. “Every title stands alone. So it sort of doesn’t compete with anything else and yet, it’s highly competitive in a way,” Zelnick said in his own words. You can read the full report by heading here.
Are you surprised by Newell’s statement on the Call of Duty deal?
Source: Kotaku