Xbox VP Claims Activision Blizzard Demanded Larger Revenue Share for Call of Duty on Microsoft Platform
Xbox corporate vice president, Sarah Bond, recently testified in court during the trial between Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and the Federal Trade Commission. According to a report from IGN, Bond claimed that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick demanded a larger revenue share from Microsoft in order to release new Call of Duty games on the Xbox platform.
This demand allegedly occurred during the leadup to the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles in 2020. Bond stated that Activision Blizzard did not intend to bring Call of Duty, presumably referring to the upcoming titles, to Xbox unless Microsoft agreed to share more revenue.
In response to this situation, Bond explained, “Time was limited. We had players whose expectations we wanted to meet, so we ultimately made a decision that it was the best thing for the business.”
Furthermore, Bond revealed that an agreement is currently in place preventing Call of Duty from appearing on Xbox Game Pass until 2025. Additionally, she discussed the marketing agreements between Xbox and Activision Blizzard.
Regarding the marketing of Call of Duty Vanguard, Bond stated, “A year ago, we wanted to show that Call of Duty Vanguard was launching on Xbox. However, we were told we could not make the announcement on YouTube or any other platform outside of our own. We were given certain restrictions and had to wait for a period of time. On the other hand, marketing the game on Xbox’s website and social media channels was permitted. Interestingly, we were also instructed not to indicate that Call of Duty was coming in the next year during a showcase, even though viewers could watch it live on platforms like YouTube.”
For more details from Bond’s testimony in court, check out IGN’s comprehensive report on the matter.
It is worth noting that this trial has provided other significant revelations as well. It was recently revealed that Bethesda’s Indiana Jones game, which was originally planned for multiple platforms, will now be an exclusive release on Xbox and PC.
Source: IGN