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As industry titans Sony and Microsoft continue to play the victim in an attempt to influence regulators regarding the latter’s outrageous near-$70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, we’re beginning to see both companies openly acknowledge their weaknesses. Earlier today, the Redmond firm effectively admitted that its first-party exclusives aren’t as good as PlayStation’s, and now the Japanese giant has responded by revealing that PS Plus is, well, getting its arse kicked by Xbox Game Pass.
Sony is particularly concerned that, if Microsoft were to buy Activision Blizzard, franchises like Call of Duty would be exclusively added to Xbox Game Pass. And to underline how problematic that may be, the firm told UK government regulators that the multi-game subscription tiers of PS Plus “considerably lag” behind the 29 million members Microsoft has. While the actual numbers are redacted, we’re guessing the difference is pretty large, otherwise PlayStation’s lawyers wouldn’t be mentioning it.
It’s important to underline here that Sony is presumably referring specifically to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium, because we know PS Plus Essential already dwarfs Xbox Game Pass with 45.4 million active members, as per the organisation’s most recent financial report. Nevertheless, the Japanese giant goes on to argue that, with Activision Blizzard under its umbrella, PS Plus would effectively never be able to catch up, thus harming competition and adversely affecting the industry overall. It’ll be down to regulators to determine whether it has a point or not.
[source assets.publishing.service.gov.uk]
Comments 50
@BeerIsAwesome For once, it's not the fanboys on Twitter embarrassing themselves, but the actual companies themselves!
I guess this is where playing on the different consoles comes into play, so the allegiance doesn't ally anywhere as they both offer great games, but it has been hilarious to watch, and also read. That Sony response to the CMA makes for some very interesting reading
@BeerIsAwesome you just did..i own a ps5 and i couldnt give a flying fig...
If this Activision deal going through forces Sony to be more competitive, by improving their total lack of communication, being more pro-consumer and improving PS Plus Premium, then I’m all for it!
Now this is the point. MS dosing their subscription service with huge exclusive acquisitions will grant them an effective monopoly (unless Amazon, Google, Apple, etc get involved)
All of you people afraid of Xbox, we’ll it’s just sad. Their first party games aren’t what they used to be (Halo and Gears) what do they have? Forza? Pffft. They have to do something as they know their exclusives are crap. And before you say anything I own four XBSX and PS5’s so allowed to bash Microshaft aka micro$oft.
Sony: We can't compete!
Microsoft: No we can't compete!
Nintendo: We don't want to compete!
Google: Remember me?
I love how this deal has Playstation claiming their games can't compete with Call of Duty while Xbox are admitting their games aren't as good as Sony's, therefore they need Call of Duty.
Just a terrible look for both sides who are so quick to dismiss their own games when Call of Duty is at stake lol
@Kanji-Tatsumi It's super funny but also makes my Twitter feed more annoying than usual anytime there's a piece of news about it, so I wish it'd be over already
With Microsoft saying sonys games are better and Sony now saying this, it's clear both are absolutely desperate over this deal. Its make or break for both of them but sony would fair better if the deals go through than Microsoft would if the deal fails.
@Voltan I agree its really boring at this point. I also have zero interest in Call of Duty
Just goes to show how much money Call of Duty makes, doesn't it? The figures must be utterly insane if both Sony and Microsoft are willing to publicly embarrass themselves like this over and over again.
I've giving up caring about this now, i own all 3 consoles so i'm not effected anyway.
I wonder how many of those 29 million subs are free though? I got a free 6 month game pass with my new broadband this year and a 6 month pass with my new phone last year. Does anyone actually pay for game pass? They must be haemorrhaging money like crazy.
@ItsBritneyB_tch Most of Xbox owners I know got multiple years of Game Pass Ultimate by stacking Live Gold subs and upgrading for $1 or whatever it was.
I don’t think deal will go though but it’s funny to see both theses companies going back and forward.
I don't see the problem from Sony. They keep mentioning CoD, even after MS allready has said that CoD could be on the Playstation for at least another 10 years.
As soon as I read Xbox games ain't as good as PS games I automatically had Kratos in my head saying be better
@Kohaku Cause Sony wants the cake and to be able to eat it too.
PS4 thrived off being the "Home of Call of Duty". They want people to look at call of duty and instantly think Playstation. Just like when you look at Destiny and instantly think Playstation. It became synonymous with the brand. They can't have that if Xbox gets the IP.
I think I’m unplugging from this story for my own sanity at this point. Let the companies degrade themselves in their custody battle for timed exclusive COD trinkets, I just want Crash, Tony Hawk and Spyro to come out of this okay. And Devil boy Bobby to lose his job.
PS Plus lagging behind Gamepass, especially the top tiers has nothing to do with COD and is more down to the woeful additions amd complete lack of PS1/2 and PSP classics that could be leveraged. Not to mention the big difference of Sony's first party games not being in it day one and non existent on PC so it's a bit silly trying to compare the 2 and using COD as some kind of reference point
@meistergeister Who the hell would own 4 Series X and PS5?
@ShogunRok Look at the sales every year I can understand even if the release is terrible it sells like hotcakes.
They could always try improving plus! I signed up for extra with the black Friday deal for 20 quid extra top up as I wanted to play stray, resogun and FF7R intergrade. Accessing the library and the user interface ain't great compared with gamepass. Stray doesn't even come up on the list! Day one indies means I would keep gamepass ahead of extra.
Ps plus is absolutely terrible no comparison to game pass. I'm so disappointed becuase I thought it would be better.
Goes without saying the only current issues with Plus is premium, everything else with Plus is fine by me. And the only issue with Extra is not having the time to play all it has to offer which really isn't an issue as choice is king. The plus tiers was always gonna be no day ones like GP is and PS had made that clear long before new tiers went live. It would be nice though if PS done a few more deals for Plus day ones similar to games like Stray
@Beerheadgamer82 Same assessment from me - Essential and Extra are ridiculously good. Premium is very weak.
I've never subbed to Game Pass so I can't really compare.
Yeah Jim Ryan is a flippen idiot and here's the proof.
It’s been very apparent from the start that Microsoft is trying to buy it’s competition. They couldn’t create great studios, so they are buying those with established success and and are focusing heavily with those that have had big success in rpgs and first person shooters and hinder Sony in the process.
@theGoodChap well said sir well said…
I don’t understand why Microsoft don’t just manage their studios, put some hard work in management wise and release some of their own big hitting AAA games.
Then start advertising Xbox actually exists and game pass to general public.
It’s like they not even trying or bothered.
So Sony finally admits that PS Plus higher tiers sucks?
Does Sony's program have the same day 1 games as MS?
So you see a game come out and folks are immediately chiming in they're playing on Gamepass. Does Sony have that or is their service just old PS4 games and 1 off Sony PS5 games? I didn't think Sony's thing was near as robust.
Here's what Sony can do; copy MS and get games on the service day 1. So say that Evil West game should be on Sony's thing if it's on Gamepass. Need for speed? If it's on Gamepass Sony should have it too. Make the deals.
Also fire Jim Ryan. Fire him now.
make your own ps+ service better then problem solved
@sword_9mm
neither evil west or the new need for speed are on gamepass
Of course it is losing. Premium is a joke. The games each month are meh or old...basically no new releases, not even indies. It's a joke of a service in comparison...and this when Gamepass has been meh for the past few months.
Why is everyone so anti Playstation? I have both next gen consoles and have been on xbox live for 15 years and I have to say playstation is miles better at the moment. I don't understand the premium hate as the ps3 games and streaming are well worth it. As to gamepass and ps+ 300+ games to 700+ in favour of sony and I would argue much better selection of both next gen and old games. I'm leaving gamepass when my subscription runs out in Jan and I have no doubt it's the correct decision. Keep up the good work ps, cod is not worth worrying about!
Oh and for all those that don't know, A years worth subscription of premium is cheaper than gamepass ultimate...look it up yourself.
@trev666
Just examples.
Sony needs to be aggressive getting new games out on Sonypass. If not then yeah; it'll suck.
Also really should be putting their 1st party stuff on it. Even if it's 1 month off or something.
Seems a bit silly to make the comparison between PS Plus Extra/Premium vs Game Pass subscription numbers. The Plus tiers only launched a few months ago, of course they won't be close to Game Pass.
Playstation was doing well long before COD was even on consoles.
Just need to show them the state of Plus Premium. The whole Activision thing will come to an end then
This is the true thing Sony is afraid of. Sony is just terrified of players having the option of playing the game day one as part of their game pass subscriptions. They rather everyone pay $70 on Ps5, or be locked out of multiple game modes and content.
Man, Jim Cryan is actually trying to get the Government to block Xbox users getting a better deal. It's appalling.
Xbox buying ACTV is not going to change anything for PS users. Cryan is just worried about having to do something different to cinematic third-person action adventure movie.
While is quite funny seeing both companies continuing to throw themselves under the bus the joke has gotten a bit old, whatever is going to happen I want it to happen as soon as possible.
Definitely not renewing my PS Plus
It's funny, because after PS Plus rework Sony fans (or dare I say fanboys) on social media tried to pretend that Sony is winning subscription "war" because PS Plus has 46+ million subs na Game Pass has only 25 million.
Even Sony does not agree that PS Plus sub is comparable to GamePass. Not with Essential tier.
Just a thought, but if Sony do manage to stop the deal going through, I know what I would do if I were Microsoft; I would pay Activision for absolute exclusivity for Call of Duty. I'm fairly sure that Sony couldn't actually stop Microsoft from doing that, as if stopping third-party exclusives was a possibility, you'd have thought Microsoft would have done that already over a number of games that Sony have paid to have as exclusives.
It would be pretty vindictive of Microsoft to buy CoD exclusivity, but it's what I would do, though maybe that says more about me than anything...
@Fiendish-Beaver
If the deal doesn't go through then Activision need to make money
Tying your product to the last place contender with the fewest people to play it, and throwing away all the fans on PS4 and PS5 would be financial suicide and leave their IP diminishing rather than growing. They need COD to dominate sales and sell on PS in order to maintain the Status Quo and make money. The only time that's not relevant is if the deal goes through as MS are happy to eat the loss if it aligns with their long term goals.
Totally agree with you, @Titntin, and that is precisely why Microsoft will not take CoD away from the PlayStation. The biggest install base for Call of Duty is on the PlayStation, which means, that is where the money is being made. It would indeed be financial suicide (in terms of this one product) to take it away from the PlayStation.
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