Jim Ryan made an interesting new statement in relation to the Call of Duty franchise, and really, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard King.
Jim Ryan was on hand in a CNBC feature about the PlayStation. Of course, even as he is set to retire, everyone remembers very well that he led the charge to oppose the Microsoft merger with Activision Blizzard King.
He went so far as to go to the EU and UK regulators, and to chime in on FTC’s actions against the merger, right until Microsoft got cleared to finalize the deal.
Now, Microsoft offered a contract to PlayStation that they would get Call of Duty for another ten years, after the end of their previous contract. Sony chose not to accept this deal to enter their opposition to the deal across the different regions still reviewing it. In the end, Sony took the deal, and that is what Jim Ryan is being asked about today.
Jim Ryan said this:
“The reason that we felt this one was different to anything that had happened in the past was the sheer size and importance of the Call of Duty franchise. So were absolutely thrilled to be able to negotiate a deal with Microsoft to ensure that that franchise remains available on PlayStation platforms for the next ten years. And that was very important to us, and we’re very happy to have done that deal.”
Jim was then probed about his participation in the FTC actions against the deal, and this was his reply:
“We’re at risk of getting granular here, but there are deals and deals. And, you know, the deal that was offered at a certain point in time may not have been the deal that was actually signed.”
This was an interesting statement from Jim, because Microsoft was on record that the ten year deal that PlayStation signed for Call of Duty was the same deal they were initially offered. Jim of course, implied that there was a change in the deal, but implying it doesn’t meant that that’s what actually happened.
On the other hand, Microsoft did not divulge any of the details on any of these contracts. So perhaps there are clauses in the contract that allow them to amend the deal with new handshake agreements, which still follow the spirit of the contract. In any case, Jim is now in the rear view mirror, for both PlayStation and Call of Duty. Sony will have to find new ways to make money beyond the cut of Call of Duty sales that they could reliably rely on when Activision Blizzard was still their own studio.
