What you need to know
- The FTC is suing to stop Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, the publisher of popular titles like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch.
- Microsoft has had to provide documents pertaining to their business strategies to the court to support their arguments for the acquisition.
- Court documents revealed that Microsoft expects the next console generation, including a new Xbox and Playstation 6, to begin around 2028.
The FTC versus Microsoft hearing is truly the gift that keeps on giving. The court documents surrounding the case have pulled back the typically opaque curtain on the inner workings of Sony and Microsoft despite heavy amounts of redacting. One such document to be produced for the hearing reveals that Microsoft expects the next generation consoles to launch in 2028.
- Sony's PlayStation CEO said that it would be 'more than OK' if Xbox purchased ABK, Microsoft responds
- The FTC argues that Xbox-exclusive content would be bad, ignoring that PlayStation has had it for years
- Microsoft shows Xbox Game Pass boosts interest in playing new game genres
- MachineGames' Indiana Jones is an Xbox exclusive title
A proposed 2028 launch date for the next Xbox console as well as the Playstation 6 would be on par with previous console generations, the last two of which have similarly lasted for 7 years. The Xbox 360 and PS3 (Generation 7) era began in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and lasted until the launch of the Xbox One and Playstation 4 (Generation 8) in 2013. It was only recently that Microsoft announced they would discontinue releasing new games for the Xbox One family of consoles. So far, no other information about what we can expect from generation 10 hardware has been revealed.
Microsoft is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the US's Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as they seek approval for their $68.7 billion purchase of Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard King. The deal has already been blocked in the UK by the Competition and Market Authority (CMA), but has been approved by every other regulatory body globally. Microsoft has appealed the CMA's ruling. The FTC has sought a preliminary injunction to block to the merger due to concerns that Microsoft would move to close the deal without regulatory approval.
There has been ample discussion over whether or not the first-person shooter franchise Call of Duty would remain multiplatform following an acquisition of publisher Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. Microsoft has asserted that the game would remain multiplatform, however Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony, has gone on the record to state that he would not provide information about the Playstation 6 to the developers of Call of Duty even if the game remains multiplatform.
