In recent news, Microsoft has signed a 10-year contract to bring the popular video game franchise, Call of Duty, and other Xbox games to Nintendo Switch. Microsoft’s President and Vice Chairman, Brad Smith, announced the news on Twitter, stating that Microsoft and Nintendo have agreed to provide Nintendo players with full feature and content parity on the same day as Xbox and PlayStation gamers. The agreement aims to provide long-term equal access to Call of Duty and other games to other gaming platforms, bringing more choice to players and more competition to the gaming market.
While this is good news for Nintendo players, the subtext of this agreement suggests it is a publicity stunt to gain the approval of the Competitive Markets Authority in the UK. The Authority has expressed concern that once Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard, they will make all their titles exclusive, including Call of Duty, which is unfair competition-wise. By signing this contract, Microsoft is trying to prove that they will not do this, as they have promised to provide Sony with 10 years of Call of Duty. This agreement is also designed to provoke Sony, who has been sceptical of Microsoft’s intentions.