Microsoft announces signed deal to bring CALL OF DUTY to Nintendo for 10 years and why that’s a problem

In case you missed it, Microsoft is working on acquiring Activision Blizzard. As the process progresses, Phil Spencer mentioned last month that Microsoft was about to enter a 10-year lead commitment call of Duty games on Nintendo hardware. Spencer also said this call of Duty would launch on Steam at the same time as Xbox.

I’m also pleased to confirm that Microsoft is committed to continuing to offer Call of Duty on @Steam at the same time as Xbox after closing the merger with Activision Blizzard King. @ATVI_AB @ValveSoftware

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 7, 2022

Of course, these deals can’t be 100% official until the merger is finalized, but that’s not stopping anyone. In fact, president of Microsoft Brad Smith more recently he shared that a deal has been signed with Nintendo so that Xbox games and Activision titles are liked call of Duty” AND call of Duty specifically it will be available to Nintendo gamers on the same day as Xbox for 10 years. This is exciting for call of Duty fans as it has been about 10 years since a title in the franchise has been on a Nintendo platform.

We have now signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo gamers. This is just part of our efforts to bring Xbox games and Activision titles like Call of Duty to more players on more platforms. pic.twitter.com/JmO0hzw1BO

— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) February 21, 2023

This leads me to be the spoilsport of the situation. This deal reeks of a smokescreen. Right now the US and the EU are fighting against the merger concerned about the formation of a monopoly. After all, Microsoft acquired Bethesda and has since announced that big titles like Starfield AND Redfall will be exclusive to Microsoft platforms. Microsoft is starting to feel a lot like the Disney of the video game industry. Making these deals with companies like Nintendo stating that titles will be guaranteed a release on other platforms for the next few years strengthens their case to go through with the merger. In the short run, they have to share, but once these contracts expire, they become infinitely more powerful. They might still choose to share, but the terms could become much more one-sided.

My thoughts are that the merge should fail. Microsoft is getting a little too powerful in my opinion. I don’t want a Disney in the world of video games.