Sony sacrifices exclusive Call of Duty benefits in Microsoft deal

Indeed, a similar, more platform-neutral approach could be on the horizon for Call of Duty - much to the confusion of the folks over at Bethesda with regard to Starfield.

And while Microsoft may rejoice in the revenue, even if Call of Duty sales on PlayStation dwarf Xbox's, Sony might be left scrambling for a competitive response.

With its Call of Duty deal now official, the time is ticking for Sony's once-impending predicament: the development of a first-party FPS title.

Sony's PlayStation platform is the home of best-selling and award-winning exclusives, except, most fall under the "single-player, 3rd person, open-world/adventure" umbrella. An illustrious list indeed, but noticeably lacking in FPS titles. Now that Microsoft is potentially hoarding the lion's share of popular FPS games (Call of Duty, Doom, Halo, and more) Sony may need to turn to internal studios for an answer.

Guerrilla Games, a Sony-owned developer, previously delved into the FPS genre with the Killzone series before shifting to the highly successful third-person, open-world Horizon games. A return to the FPS genre, leveraging their past experience and Sony's pedigree in character-driven narratives, could be just the panacea that Sony needs.

There are numerous potential outcomes and no shortage of speculation, but the legal complexities are just as abundant. Current contracts can be ended, bought out, or rewritten to accommodate new deals or changes in circumstances. This fluidity makes the gaming landscape a captivating arena, where business strategy is just as vital as gameplay mechanics.

In this case, Microsoft might have bought out Sony's older contract with Activision Blizzard, which can mean that Call of Duty could be headed to Game Pass sooner and/or the next Call of Duty might no longer have PlayStation-exclusive benefits.

It's worth noting that Call of Duty games have, for the past few years, given PlayStation owners exclusive and early access before launching.

Speaking of Call of Duty, the floodgates have opened about the details regarding the next Call of Duty, thanks, ironically, to Activision Blizzard and Microsoft. Its release date was revealed as part of the earlier proceedings. However, most appear to be unhappy with this year's entry. As for next year's installment, it will likely be available on the next Nintendo Switch with a Gulf War setting.