Sony and Microsoft Sign 10-Year Call of Duty Deal, Activision Blizzard Stock Soars

Sony and Microsoft have reached a binding agreement ensuring that Call of Duty will remain on PlayStation for at least 10 years after Microsoft's proposed purchase of Activision. The agreement ends a long-standing battle between the two console giants over the alleged anti-competitive effects of the acquisition. The deal also weakens one of the Federal Trade Commission's arguments against the merger. While the agreement focuses on Call of Duty, it does not include access to other popular Activision franchises. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority remains the only significant barrier to the completion of the Microsoft-Activision merger.