Epistolary duel which pits Microsoft against Sony continues to gain in intensity, the two giants oppose their arguments through the media and press releases interspersed.
The latest development comes from Microsoft, which has turned to The Competition and Markets Authority, while the Federal Trade Commission recently seized a judge to block the Activison-Blizzard takeover. In its latest press release, the Redmond company explains that “ Sony has more exclusives than Microsoft, and often of better quality“.
This last part may seem quite ironic, but for several months the two publishers have been pointing the finger that the competitor is better, to justify/block redemption. That said, Microsoft relies on solid arguments: Exclusivity strategies are not uncommon in the video game industry and other markets. However, both Sony and Nintendo have exclusive games that are among the best sellers in Europe and worldwide. In addition to having its own exclusive content, Sony has also signed contracts with independent publishers to demand the exclusion of Xbox from the platforms on which they distribute their games.“. To go into even more detail, Microsoft explicitly mentions Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix), Blood borne (From Software) as well as Silent Hill 2 remake (Bloober Team).
These last two examples are not the best in the world because Microsoft negotiated exclusivity of The medium, the latest game from Bloober; Or else, Blood borne is a licensed by Sony, so it seems normal that it is limited to PlayStation. That said, one might actually wonder about the notable absence of recent projects Final Fantasy on Xbox, shows well collaboration between Sony and Square Enix. In the same spirit, we will remember the remake of Demons Soulsannounced on PC before a sudden withdrawal by Sony.
As early as last August, Microsoft accused its competitor of paying blocking fees for to exhaust the Xbox catalog, and PC gamers can only see the truth in such a statement. For years, Sony has prided itself on being ” the best place to play“, primarily thanks to a particularly exclusive catalogue. Recent acquisitions, such as Bungie, show the Japanese manufacturer’s desire to consolidate its results, itself sacrifice cross-platform playability.
In recent months, however, it should be noted that Microsoft contacted Sonyespecially with the license call of duty. The FTC continues to take a dim view of the US giant’s hypothetical monopoly without really considering the players who have been around for years. stripped of headings. Let’s remember that too Fire Ring, Horizon Zero Dawn or death strandingalthough finally available on PC, suffered from ports in particular average.
In the end, it seems that anti-consumer practices be in Sony’s camp, no offense to certain government agencies….