The Call of Duty franchise is one of the largest in all of gaming and for several years, it’s been partnered with PlayStation in a deal which allowed players to get their hands on content earlier than Xbox and PC users.
While some attention is already turning towards the start of Season 4 Reloaded, a lot of focus is on Microsoft’s ongoing battle against the American Federal Trade Commission. The proceedings have already seen Xbox's Sarah Bond tell the court that Activision once stopped work on Call of Duty for the platform in a bid to secure a new revenue deal with Microsoft.
The latest chapter of the story has revealed Sony’s current Call of Duty deal is seemingly set to end much sooner than many anticipated.
Call of Duty PlayStation exclusivity to end in 2024
As reported by The Verge, during the latest hearing between Microsoft and the FTC, a document which wasn't redacted properly revealed the final Call of Duty title the existing deal covers will release in 2023, which is the year before the deal comes to an end.
The document reads: “(T)he last game covered by the contract is a Call of Duty title to be released in late 2023.”
The exclusivity deal between Sony and Activision has resulted in specific content and cosmetic items being available for PlayStation users for the majority of a game cycle. For example, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Zombies Onslaught mode was available on Sony’s platform when the game launched, but PC and Xbox users had to wait until the following November to play it.
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With the deal seemingly coming to an end and Microsoft attempting to purchase Call of Duty’s publisher, Sony and other regulatory boards aren’t yet convinced by its intentions. However, Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer has repeatedly promised Call of Duty will continue to release on PlayStation for several years after the deal is finalised.
For now, the courtroom battle is set to continue, as the July 18, 2023 deadline for the deal's current iteration moves into view. In the meantime, take a look at our Warzone and Modern Warfare 2 pages for all the latest Call of Duty news and guides.
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