Sony holds the keys to Call of Duty’s Future

[Eternal_Wings]

Sony could either maintain status quo or maybe put effort in abandoning Call of Duty off PlayStation platforms.

The only change now is Sony won't be able to procure exclusive Call of Duty content in the future (not without parity on Xbox, at least), and CoD's success becomes Xbox's success.
Now, Sony could dismiss CoD off of their platform, but it would makes up a massive portion of their revenue and we would see a lot of cost cutting changes get made in rapid succession.

Either it would severely damage Xbox and the COD franchise or it would severely damage PlayStation and leave it uninvited to the party.
It depends on which way the market develops and how fast MSFT can prove they can/can't make good COD games under their management. If a fully MSFT-run COD does well in the next 3-4 years, then they should be able to maintain the IP, even if Sony drops them. But if they take to long to drop one, or if they drop one too many bad ones, then Sony dropping CoD would kill it.

And in that sense, Sony has been given the keys to CoD's existence. If Sony ever catches COD slipping, they can add fuel to the fire by dropping it from their platform.

Also I do recommend to give this thread a read of Derek Strickland.

 

[Johnic]

Why are we pretending MS has no say in this?

They've shown they're willing to tank sales and take losses for decades to get ahead. Who's to say they won't be taking COD away themselves?

They don't care about not making money. They'll bleed for 10 years and recoup when they monopolize the industry. They outright stated that as their goal.

 

[BroodCorp]

Call of Duty as a brand has yet to peak, so any situation that sees a lesser version of the game appearing on PlayStation will be a problem for Sony.

Similar to Nintendo and their IPs appearing on mobile devices, they will acknowledge the opportunity to advertise full versions of their games. But they won’t be much more than that.

A massively stripped down version of Warzone that is timed is certainly something I can see Microsoft doing.

 

[Fenton]

In Game Pass on Xbox.

Full price on PS. To put on PS Plus, Sony has to pay a huge amount to MS. Also share the game revenue with MS later.

 

[flaccidsnake]

I think it's extremely unlikely that PS would reject CoD from the platform if MS was trying to publish it. We already have emails from Jim Ryan trying to get Bethesda games back.

 

[Bryank75]

I sincerely encourage Sony to NOT allow ANY Activision Blizzard games on PlayStation anymore....

Especially unless the terms are very very favorable.

Mosney is better spent on making their own games and other 3rd party games successful

THEN we will see how big COD is without PlayStation. Then we will see who will survive and thrive... COD or PlayStation.

I am confident PlayStation will continue to grow, while COD fucks off into history along with Xbox.

 

[Box]

Playstation existed long before COD was big, without COD the PS2 sold 154 million

 

[Muddasar]

Let EA and Ubisoft fill the void for now.

Make a deal to make Xdefiant or Battlefield PS Plus Day 1.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

I can’t believe a platform holder is allowed to acquire such a massive IP.

 

[Yobo]

COD is dying but it will be long and slow like Halo, and really only pushed down by a competitor.

Which is why Sony should be making a direct COD competitor. CODs advantage is people love "realistic" modern style FPS and COD is really the only one out there with Battlefields implosion

A sci-fi FPS won't replace COD, nor a hero shooter.

The only other option might have been putting the money behind Battlefield promotion, but EA have really blown things up there

Even then the other strength of COD is factory production to get one out every year. I don't see how anyone else does that

 

[Swift_Star]

I can’t believe a platform holder is allowed to acquire such a massive IP.

Most of the revenue is made in PS consoles. If Sony removed CoD from PS, the game would loss massive revenue. But the gamers might move to Xbox. It’s a double edged sword.

 

[Vertigo]

Call of Duty’s arena PvP is losing its dominance as an online game based on anecdotal charting vs Warzone with previous releases. But irregardless of this retail numbers are still strong. It could just be brand association but the next boxed release will tell that story when it’s tracked as a separate sku from MW2/Warzone 2.

It’s not losing its dominance per se. Its previous model maybe… but it’s also rebranded itself as Warzone successfully and that’s undoubtedly its future. So it’s changed with the times accordingly.

And at the end of the day CoD is NOT the most popular game in the world. It’s Fortnite. Which is also a game that Sony helped put on the map when it had console exclusivity for some time. So Sony does play a role itself by catering to the biggest games and publishers.

I mentioned this in my “f2p hurting competition” topic … but I think the correct measure is taking away the potential playerbase advantage f2p games have on console that allow them to bypass ps plus subscription yearly paywall.

I don’t agree with barring the software. Just a fair playing field for all and future online games on console.

… and it’s a sure thing Microsoft will butcher Activision just like they have every other studio and IP they bought. It’s been carried by Bethesda this last year since its actual mgs internal studios are in perpetual disarray. So… RIP Activision.

 

[Bryank75]

Most of the revenue is made in PS consoles. If Sony removed CoD from PS, the game would loss massive revenue. But the gamers might move to Xbox. It’s a double edged sword.

Less chance of them to move mid-cycle.

If they want to do it, now is the time. I don't think Jim will...I don't think he has the balls and I think he just does what the analysts say will make the most money annually...

If he had even a mediocre brain in his head though, he should pull the plug as soon as he can and push all advertising down and put things like xDefiant further up on the front page.

 

[Airbus]

Bring back killzone socom or resistance

Back Bungie for the next destiny game

Sony still have good partnership with EA Batlefield game

Part of me feel sad for what happened with Halo ( used to play Halo alot during 360)

After they bring Halo franchise to the ground same thing can happened with cod

I remember those days when we play and still care about Halo

But now after this?

Feck em

 

[Eternal_Wings]

I think Sony will support neither XDefiant nor Battlefield. Because same story as Activision: Sony helps promoting and growing a shooter franchise and then potentially half a decade later, Microsoft gobbling them up. Nah I think Sony will go all in for a self-made COD clone. They won’t risk another COD quandary.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

COD will decline when they will skip a year between releases. It was supposed to happen this year. The studios are in turmoil already and Microsoft sucks at management.

 

[Nhomnhom]

They should shift all the support away from CoD and into something else like Apex and BF. No marketing deals, no bundles, no promo, no special treatment to CoD.

 

[Airbus]

COD will decline when they will skip a year between releases. It was supposed to happen this year. The studios are in turmoil already and Microsoft sucks at management.

Already happened as the two studios slowly becoming garbage

Infinity Ward are the only decent one left ( dont know for how long if they keep milking this franchise)

 

[Danja1187]

I think Sony will support neither XDefiant nor Battlefield. Because same story as Activision: Sony helps promoting and growing a shooter franchise and then potentially half a decade later, Microsoft gobbling them up. Nah I think Sony will go all in for a self-made COD clone. They won’t risk another COD quandary.

They'd be silly not to support the next Battlefield. They should be eyeing Ubisoft as well if they are smart.

 

[Gediminas]

step 1. buy ubisoft.
step 2. remove CoD from Playstation.
step 3. make Xdefiant the face of Playstation shooters
step 4. invest heavily into Battlefield.