Sony's gaming chief Jim Ryan said in
September that Microsoft's earlier offer to keep the popular game series made
by Activision Blizzard on PlayStation for three years after the current
agreement expires was inadequate.
Xbox maker Microsoft's latest offer to Sony
comes as it faces increased regulatory scrutiny over its $69 billion buyout
deal for Activision Blizzard.
The offer, made in January, has attracted
regulatory headwinds in the European Union, Britain and in the US, with Sony
criticising the deal and even calling for a regulatory veto.
Last month, EU regulators opened a
full-scale investigation into Microsoft's deal and warned about the impact of
the deal. "The Commission's preliminary investigation shows that the
transaction may significantly reduce competition on the markets for the
distribution of console and PC video games, including multigame subscription
services and/or cloud game streaming services, and for PC operating systems,"
the European Commission said in a statement at the time.
The deadline for the European Commission,
which is investigating the deal, to set out a formal list of competition
concerns known as a statement of objection is in January. Offering remedies
before such a document is issued could shorten the regulatory process.
Reuters reported last month that
Microsoft's remedy would consist mainly of a 10-year licensing deal to
PlayStation owner Sony.
The deal has been cleared unconditionally
in Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Serbia.
"The main supposed potential
anticompetitive risk Sony raises is that Microsoft would stop making Call of
Duty available on the PlayStation. But that would be economically
irrational," Microsoft President Brad Smith said in the WSJ opinion piece.
Microsoft also said on Monday it was
raising the prices of new Xbox games to $70 from $60 starting in 2023,
according to a company spokesperson. © Reuters