Now that Microsoft's revised offer to buy Call of Duty-maker Activision Blizzard has been approved by UK regulators, Call of Duty fans can't wait to learn the fate of CoD, which has been the bone of contention in the Microsoft Activision deal.
Although CoD offers crossplay functionality, PlayStation users have access to certain can exclusive benefits which are not accessible to those on Xbox and PC including exclusive game modes, early access to beta versions, unique Operators, and a new Combat Pack with each season. These PlayStation-exclusive benefits are set to end in 2024, but Xbox won’t have exclusive Call of Duty content post that.
Read More: Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Acquisition Approved By UK
Xbox Chief Vows To Make 'Call of Duty Nation' Supported With Full Parity
Xbox chief and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer had said back in February that the same version of Call of Duty will be available on all platforms. More recently, on the Official Xbox Podcast, Spencer reiterated that the platform is committed to "100 per cent parity" on content across all platforms.
"The players on PlayStation and in the future on Nintendo... I want you to feel 100 per cent part of the community. I don't want you to feel like there's content you're missing out on, skins you're missing out on, timing you're missing out on. That's not the goal," Spencer said. "The goal is 100 per cent parity across all platforms as much as we can for launch and content."
Spencer clarified that there may be technological differences that separate individual platforms but the company is making maximum efforts to ensure parity in other aspects. "I want the Call of Duty Nation to feel supported across all platforms," said Spencer and also took to the platform to criticise Playstation for its exclusivity deals.
"We've been on the other side of some of those skins and times -- even this [Modern Warfare III] beta wasn't on Xbox the first week. I don't think that helps the community. I don't think that helps the game. If you're a PlayStation player, you're a Nintendo player, or PC player, or an Xbox console player, I want you to feel 100 per cent part of the Call of Duty Nation.” Spencer has also confirmed that Activision Blizzard games aren’t coming to Xbox Game Pass anytime soon. "The regulatory process took so long... that we weren’t able to get in and work with the Activision Blizzard on that back catalogue work. Now that the deal is closed, we’re starting that work, but there is work," he said.