A well-known industry insider claimed a high-ranking Sony executive did not believe Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass will threaten the future sales of PlayStation 5 units.
According to Insider Gaming, trusted video game leaker Tom Henderson received a message from an anonymous source from within Sony, which allegedly stated that the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Jim Ryan, did not consider the Xbox Game Pass as PlayStation's competitor. "When we consider Game Pass, it seems to be getting lower [Game Pass numbers]," Ryan reportedly said. "When we consider Game Pass, we've sold more PS5s in two years than they have gathered subscribers and they've been doing that for 6-7 years. We're just shy of 50 million subscribers and they are in the low 20s, but there's more work to do to grow that number."
Henderson noted Ryan's comment was a sudden departure from the company's previous statements regarding Microsoft and its planned acquisition of Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard. The insider noted how Sony frequently disrupted negotiations concerning the deal, with the Japanese tech giant claiming Microsoft's buyout of the publisher threatened to negatively impact the industry and gamers as a whole.
Sony and Microsoft Feud Over Call of Duty
Sony also previously claimed Microsoft intended to add Call of Duty to its list of titles under the Xbox Game Pass, which it alleged will result in an unfair advantage in Microsoft's favor. In response, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer attempted to assuage fears by revealing a prior agreement between Activision and Sony that prevented Call of Duty's addition to the Xbox Game Pass lineup. Spencer remained vague regarding the exact duration of the agreement, with the CEO only stating that it would cover "a number of years."
Microsoft's vice-chairman, Brad Smith, additionally proposed a deal with Sony, wherein it promised simultaneous releases for future Call of Duty titles on PlayStation and Xbox for 10 years if its acquisition was approved. "We've offered a 10-year contract to make each new Call of Duty release available on PlayStation the same day it comes to Xbox," Smith said. "We're open to providing the same commitment to other platforms and making it legally enforceable by regulators in the US, UK and European Union."
Despite Microsoft's promises, the proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition has continued to levy major criticisms from several government entities across the globe. The United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority and the USA's Federal Trade Commission notably publicized several concerns regarding the deal, with the FTC even filing a lawsuit seeking to block Microsoft's acquisition in early December 2022.
Source: Insider Gaming