Call of Duty may be one of the most popular series on the planet, but it’s not the type of game that comes to mind when you imagine the Nintendo Switch. So, in a way, it’s very strange to see Microsoft come out tonight and announce a “10-year commitment” to release. COD Games on Nintendo platforms starting with Switch.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer made the announcement on Twitter, while also promising to keep bringing it. COD Games for Steam also:
Microsoft made a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo following the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King. Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people, however they want to play.
I’m pleased to confirm that Microsoft has committed to continuing to offer Call of Duty on Steam at the same time as Xbox after Activision Blizzard closed its merger with King.
He makes these promises, certainly not because there is much of a market for them COD on Switch, but because his company (Microsoft) is trying to close a deal to buy the company that owns it Call of Duty (Activision), an impending deal under increasing scrutiny by governments not only in the United States but abroad.
The Call of Duty series is a major obstacle in the deal, with various governments arguing that locking a popular series behind one platform would create an unfair monopoly on the video game business.
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That’s why it was reported last week that Microsoft is preparing to sign a 10-year deal with Sony, their main rivals in the console space to allay these fears. However, these reports didn’t mention Nintendo or Valve’s Steam platform, so tonight’s announcement was clearly aimed at Sony trying to isolate them and force their hand throughout the summer (even which was also somewhat telegraphed last month).
It is important to note that these are just promises to grease some wheels and make them look better in the eyes of those skeptical governments; Spencer wouldn’t actually be in that situation to give that is, until the Activision buyout goes through. And even so, there will be questions; As Spencer said in this interview The Washington Postpromises to bring Call of Duty Porting to the Switch is one thing, making it work on Nintendo’s hardware is quite another.
Interestingly, while the Nintendo side of the pledge has been singled out for its unusual compatibility and potential technical difficulties, Gabe Newell says Valve’s commitment seems more fortuitous. Kotaku in the statement:
We’re happy that Microsoft wants customers to continue using Steam to interact with Call of Duty when the Activision purchase closes. Microsoft has been with Steam for a long time, and we take that as a sign that players are accepting and happy with what we’re doing. Our job is to continue to create valuable features not just for Microsoft, but for all Steam customers and partners.
Microsoft offered and even sent us a draft contract for a long-term Call of Duty commitment, but it wasn’t necessary for us because a) we don’t believe in requiring any partner to have a contract that prohibits them from shipping games on Steam. into the distant future b) Phil and Microsoft’s gaming team have always done what they told us, so we trust their intentions, and c) we think Microsoft has all the motivation it needs to be on platforms and devices. They want to be Call of Duty customers.
(Call of Duty has been running on Steam for a long time commonbut the serial It’s only just returned after a five-year hiatus locked behind Activision’s own launcherVarious government objections to the proposed merger are concerned with precisely this kind of limitation!)
