PlayStation Claims That Microsoft’s “True Strategy” Is To Make Them Like Nintendo

The discourse between Microsoft and PlayStation over the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard continues with a new statement from Sony saying that Microsoft’s true strategy is to make them like Nintendo.

According to VGC, PlayStation believes that Microsoft wishes for them to not compete in the “18-rated shooter space” much like how Nintendo doesn’t buy acquiring the rights to Call of Duty.

This is a counter to a response from Microsoft submitted to the UK regulator the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Microsoft said that other large gaming competitors like Nintendo were able to find success in the gaming market without access to Call of Duty. Sony argues however that this will give Xbox too much dominance over the FPS market.

“Microsoft claims that Nintendo’s differentiated model demonstrates that PlayStation doesn’t need Call of Duty to compete effectively. But this reveals Microsoft’s true strategy. Microsoft wants PlayStation to become like Nintendo so that it would be a less close and effective competitor to Xbox”.

“Post-Transaction, Xbox would become the one-stop-shop for all the best-selling shooter franchises on console (Call of Duty, Halo, Gears of War, + Doom, Overwatch), as the Decision explains, and it would then be free from serious competitive pressure”.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard has been approved by regulators in both Saudi Arabia and Brazil but is still being investigated by the CMA in the UK.

Interestingly, as part of their CMA response, Microsft actually said Nintendo had a wider range of Mature titles than Xbox did. They cited the many ports of 18-rated games like Doom and Nier Automata that have come to the Switch as well as exclusives like Bayonetta 3 and Shin Megami Tensei V.

“Nintendo offers a broader range of mature content than Xbox: The CMA has mischaracterized the Nintendo Switch as being predominantly for families. Such a characterization neglects the fact that more mature/adult games are available on the Switch and are actively marketed, including on Switch’s YouTube channel. These games include Apex Legends, The Witcher 3, Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Cult of the Lamb, NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition, Alan Wake Remastered, Crysis Remastered, Outlast, Little Nightmares, Five Nights at Freddy’s and Life is Strange.”

“Recent Switch exclusives have received mature ratings: Several of Nintendo Switch’s latest exclusives have been distinctly non “family-friendly” games. Bayonetta 3, a third-party action game by Platinum Games, was rated as Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (“ESRB”) for violence, blood and gore, partial nudity, and strong language. Likewise, third-party exclusive Shin Megami Tensei V, released in November last year, was rated Mature by the ESRB for blood, partial nudity, sexual themes, and violence”

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