Every year, when a new Call of Duty is announced, it’s inevitably plastered with Xbox branding, or words reminding you that the game is coming to, or captured on an Xbox. Microsoft and Activision have long been Call of Duty bedfellows – a situation that presents itself by way of timed exclusivity on all DLC. It usually takes a month for any extra content to hit PC and PlayStation platforms after they’ve made their debut on Xbox. It’s why Xbox is the preferred platform for the people who take their Call of Duty seriously. Is that era over?
Rumours have been circulating since last month that the ties that bind Microsoft to Call of Duty have been severed, and that this time around, the co-marketing will be done with Sony instead.
For starters, the Black Ops 3 reveals were very light on the usual, dominant Xbox branding – which is unusual in itself. For Advanced Warfare, our own previews of the game all happened on Xbox One, but it seems that most recent previews for Black Ops 3 took place on PS4 and PC.
During the preview events for press, they played #BlackOps3 MP on PS4 and Campaign on PC. Xbox One was there but was not used.
— charlieINTEL.com (@charlieINTEL) April 26, 2015
If it were purely for showcase purposes – for a better frame rate or resolution – why even bother with the PS4?
Though his opinion shouldn’t count for much, former Treyarch community manager Josh Olin has said he expects a co-marketing deal with Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and Sony. And honestly? It makes sense – for Activision at least. Right now, there are about twice as many PlayStation 4s in people’s homes as there Xbox Ones, and it’s a status quo that’s set to continue for a while yet.
@miDnIghtEr20C This would not surprise me in the least. In fact, I expect it.
— Josh Olin (@JD_2020) April 22, 2015
That said, I just don’t see Microsoft giving up the goods all that easily. That’s a contract they’d prefer to keep in place, I’d imagine. Microsoft also co-hosts the Call of Duty championships. If this does end up being true though, I’d imagine the thousands of people who’ve bought Xbox Ones just for Call of Duty will be pissed. Is Microsoft’s Call of Duty co-marketing over?
Last Updated: May 4, 2015
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:02
It’d be great if Call of Duty would be over altogether, so that sheeple can wake up and smell something different for a change. Like anything else. Except Assassin’s Creed. That also needs to die.
Hammersteyn
May 4, 2015 at 15:07
BF is still a thing…. apparently
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:07
Only 4 of those were made. Well, 3 and a half plus a dumb cops n robbers version.
CoD is on what? 12, 13?
Admiral Chief
May 4, 2015 at 15:09
42
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:09
CoD is NOT the answer to life and everything…
Admiral Chief
May 4, 2015 at 15:11
According to the majority of sheeple out there, it is
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:12
Point taken. Damn sheeple…
Hammersteyn
May 4, 2015 at 15:11
My life is monotonous and boring. Seems like the answer to me. Thank heavens for video games.
Hammersteyn
May 4, 2015 at 15:11
Will probably still use the same graphics engine by then
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
May 4, 2015 at 15:39
I disagree completely. The CoD community is a vile community. I mean they invented swatting FFS!. Now close down the franchise and those people will spend time in my games. HELL NO!. Keep CoD going strong so our other games are safe.
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:42
I… Uh… Never thought of that. O_O Shit, you may be onto something there, dammit.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
May 4, 2015 at 15:46
You think Dota2 or LoL is bad. Just see what happens when CoD players flock that way. 😛
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:48
I’m not overly worried about that, CoD players don’t have the skill to play dota or LoL.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
May 4, 2015 at 15:50
Hahahaha … true
bettergetdave
May 5, 2015 at 05:03
They won’t they don’t know how to play anything else. Trust me I talk to them at work everyday. They will just play more Madden.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
May 5, 2015 at 11:45
Hahahaha … this brought a smile to my face. Thanks. 🙂
chimera_85
May 4, 2015 at 16:23
I used to be a big Battlefield fan but I think that it needs to die as well. I think Valve needs to make a proper Counter Strike for consoles
Admiral Chief
May 4, 2015 at 15:06
X-WING!
Hammersteyn
May 4, 2015 at 15:06
Makes any header better
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:06
Still better than a tie.
Hammersteyn
May 4, 2015 at 15:06
LIES!
Admiral Chief
May 4, 2015 at 15:06
Aye, that is no lie
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 4, 2015 at 15:14
But doesn’t the PC footage double up as Xbox footage?
Admiral Chief
May 4, 2015 at 15:15
Only when run at severely inferior resolution…
Pariah
May 4, 2015 at 15:15
Only if it’s double the res, frame rate, detail, and overall awesomeness.
Edit, “half” = xbox. I won’t even begin trying to explain how I got to the double comment, my brain isn’t wired normally.
Hammersteyn
May 4, 2015 at 15:19
Only if they’re aren’t caught claiming PC footage is XBOX footage
Phasmatis75
May 4, 2015 at 15:28
Considering Microsoft’s record debt they’re in, I don’t think they don’t have enough money to sway Activision to take a hit in sales with Xbox One exclusivity deals.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
May 4, 2015 at 15:41
Sony is not looking to wealthy at the moment either. They recently had to sell off SOE.
Phasmatis75
May 5, 2015 at 00:52
They didn’t have to sell off SOE they chose to sell it off because it was under performing. Sony’s game development section is actually turning a profit it’s the rest of the company that’s hurting.
Conversely Microsoft’s gaming departing is a giant black financial black hole for the company that they’ve managed to gloss over with royalties from the Android Patent.
TJ
May 5, 2015 at 05:02
Microsoft has the money LOL
chimera_85
May 4, 2015 at 16:22
Either way cod is such a lazy game, I cannot comprehend why people play this shit. Although if they released a cod that is only single player with a nice long campaign I would think about playing it
ineedgames
May 5, 2015 at 00:46
They can have it, CoD is boring now.