Xbox boss Phil Spencer took the stand Friday during Microsoft’s ongoing court battle with the US Federal Trade Commission over the tech giant’s intended acquisition of game publisher Activision Blizzard. Spencer said some surprising things about Microsoft and Sony as rivals in the gaming console market.
Spencer testified that Microsoft is currently in third place behind Sony and Nintendo in the console wars, according to a report from The Verge. Spencer also testified, under oath that if Activision Blizzard acquired Activision Blizzard, he would not pull Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty game from the PlayStation.
Spencer told the court: “I’d raise my hands, and I’d do anything it took.” The commitment and testimony I give is that future Call of Duty versions will be available on Sony PlayStation 5 devices.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard (publisher of Call of Duty) for $68.7 Billion is a key component of this legal battle. The FTC claims that the acquisition will lead to less competition in video game industries.
Spencer made accusations about Sony as a rival during his testimony. Spencer said that Sony uses its profits to try to undermine the Xbox, and has signed third-party companies in order to keep their games off the Xbox. Spencer claimed that Sony withheld developer kits for Microsoft’s PS5, causing a delay and a less optimized version of Minecraft to be released for the console.
Sony has not responded to the request for a comment regarding Spencer’s remarks.
The court battle between Microsoft and the FTC comes more than a year after the Xbox maker announced its decision to purchase Activision Blizzard. Microsoft began seeking approval from the antitrust authorities in each country where it does business. The biggest hurdles for the company are the UK and US, with agencies in both countries blocking the deal and citing concerns over a lack of competition in the video game industry.
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