Xbox plans to "keep Call of Duty on PlayStation" following Activision deal, Phil Spencer says

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The Xbox boss says he had "good calls" with Sony about honoring existing agreements

Call of Duty: Vanguard
(Image credit: Activision)

In the wake of Microsoft's historic acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Xbox boss Phil Spencer says he's since spoken with Sony about honoring existing agreements and "our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation."

Spencer said previously that Xbox's Activision deal wasn't meant to "pull communities away" from PlayStation, and he's now shared a tweet confirming Xbox's "desire" to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation platforms in some form. 

This is significant to anyone, and particularly PlayStation users, eager to learn what Xbox's Activision deal means for exclusivity going forward. The deal isn't expected to close until the 2023 fiscal year, which ends in June 2023, but it's reasonable to expect at least some future Activision Blizzard titles to be Xbox exclusive. However, according to Spencer, Call of Duty will remain multiplatform for an unspecified period of time. That said, Spencer's assuredly thoughtful use of the word "desire" in reference to Xbox's plans to keep Call of Duty multiplatform does indicate some wiggle room.

Spencer's tweet is also big news simply for the fact that it's the first confirmation that Xbox and Sony are in active talks regarding the acquisition. One would assume as much considering the scale of the deal, but it's fascinating to hear insights straight from the head of Xbox. For Sony's part, a spokesperson recently told the Wall Street Journal that Sony expects Activision Blizzard games to remain on PlayStation due to "contractual agreements," and now we're hearing similar claims from Spencer.

There's still a long road ahead for Microsoft and Activision, as Government approval of the deal is said to be "likely long and not guaranteed."

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.