Sony has been accused of lying to EU regulators about the Microsoft Activision deal

What you need to know

• Microsoft’s Frank X Shaw alleged that Sony recently lied to EU regulators about its ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
• Specifically, Shaw says Sony told the EU that Microsoft wasn’t willing to offer parity between the PlayStation maker and Call of Duty, even though Microsoft had previously proposed a 10-year deal.
• Microsoft continues to stress that it wants to make games available to more people, not fewer, and that making Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive would “defy business logic”.

With Microsoft’s planned $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard continuing to attract thorough scrutiny from regulators, the company has claimed that Sony — a PlayStation producer and one of the deal’s biggest opponents — recently lied to the European Union (EU) about its plans to make a Call of Duty. While Microsoft has publicly committed to keeping the popular PlayStation shooter franchise once the merger closes, the company says Sony is suggesting otherwise to Brussels officials. This news comes as It is reported that the European Union plans to serve Microsoft an antitrust warning about the deal.

“I heard Sony briefing people in Brussels claiming that Microsoft didn’t want to give them parity in Call of Duty if we acquired Activision. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. books Frank X Shaw, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Communications. “We’ve made it clear that we’ve offered Sony a 10-year deal to give them parity in timing, content, features, quality, playability, and any other aspect of the game. We’ve also said we’re happy to make that enforceable through contract, regulatory agreements, or other means.”