Toni Dimaano Games 02.21.2023 07:Feb AM EST

Microsoft Signs A 10-Year Binding Deal To Bring Call Of Duty To Nintendo

Nintendo device owners will be able to play Call of Duty thanks to a 10-year deal that Microsoft President Brad Smith confirmed today.

Smith tweeted about the partnership, pointing out that Microsoft is committed to making Xbox games and Activision games like Call of Duty available to more people on more platforms.

Nintendo Owners Can Finally Enjoy The Popular Game With The Help Of Microsoft

Call of Duty will debut on Nintendo platforms in December 2022, according to a 10-year agreement between Microsoft and Nintendo that was publicly revealed.

According to a report by IGN, it appears that this agreement has been signed and is now legally binding.

It is important to note that since Call of Duty: Ghosts for the Wii U in 2013, Call of Duty has not been offered by Nintendo.

"Microsoft and Nintendo have now negotiated and signed a binding 10-year legal agreement to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo players - the same days as Xbox, with full feature and content parity," Microsoft's statement says.

The company also claimed that it is committed to giving the famous title to other gaming platforms long-term equal access.

Microsoft previously said it had made a similar offer to Sony for PlayStation platforms and to have promised to release the game concurrently on Xbox and Steam, assuming the merger is approved.

It is notable that all of the agreements are a part of Microsoft's efforts to persuade authorities to approve the $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Engadget reports.

Regulators Have Been Critical Of Microsoft's Dealings With Other Companies

Microsoft's massive acquisition proposal, worth $68.7 billion, which it disclosed in January 2022, has encountered growing opposition in both North America and Europe.

The US Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit to stop the acquisition, and the UK may need Activision to sell off a portion of its operations in order for the merger to go through.

According to the US Federal Trade Commission, the agreement would "harm competition in high-performance gaming consoles and subscription services by denying or degrading rivals' access to its popular content."

This is the main reason why the deal remains in a strong limbo, and the reason it is sought to be blocked, Engadget claims.

In addition, it appears that the European Union will join the UK in saying that the proposed acquisition would lessen competition.

For that reason, Microsoft apparently asked for a hearing with EU regulators to defend the agreement, and that meeting is scheduled for today.

Regulators were wary of the deal from the start due to worries that it might prevent Sony's PS5 and other consoles from playing important titles, including Call of Duty.

As a "game-changer that poses a danger to our industry," Sony adamantly opposes the agreement.

Microsoft promised to support Call of Duty on PlayStation "forever" and called Sony's remarks "self-serving."

Microsoft has also reaffirmed that it has no intentions to stop shipping Call of Duty to PlayStation and would do so as long as there are PlayStations out there to ship to.