Microsoft’s attempts to clear its proposed $69bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard with regulators has been a treasure trove of information. As the company and rival Sony file with regulators in the UK, Brazil, Europe, and the US, we have been given details about the industry. In a new report today, Insider Gaming claims Sony Interactive CEO, Jim Ryan, does not see Xbox Game Pass as a threat.
Telling Sony employees at a Q&A this month, Ryan reportedly said:
“When we consider Game Pass, it seems to be getting lower [Game Pass numbers]. When we consider Game Pass, we’ve sold more PS5’s in two years than they have gathered subscribers and they’ve been doing that for 6-7 years…We’re just shy of 50 million subscribers and they are in the low 20s, but there’s more work to do to grow that number.”
This is interesting because either Ryan is either being disingenuous to employees or to regulators. Ryan and Sony have repeatedly stated that the possibility of Call of Duty landing on Xbox Game Pass is a game changer. They have said that Game Pass is a major threat. Microsoft has said Sony has been misleading regulators.
One of the reasons why the FTC took Microsoft to court to block the $69bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard is concerns over what the company will do with game franchises it takes control of.
To reassure regulators, the company struck a 10-year agreement with Nintendo to keep Call of Duty on Switch. Microsoft has also offered Sony a similar deal but has not yet reached an agreement.
Tip of the day: When using your Windows 10 laptop or convertible with a mobile hotspot you might want to limit the Internet bandwidth your PC uses. In our tutorial we are showing you how to set up a metered connection in Windows 11 or Windows 10 and how to turn it off again, if needed.