A Call of Duty re-release to Nintendo consoles is reportedly in the works.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has provided another significant update following yesterday's announcement that the company had offered Sony a 10-year contract in exchange for keeping the Call of Duty game franchise on the PlayStation, according to Pure Xbox.
After the Activision Blizzard merger was completed, the Xbox boss revealed that Microsoft had made a "10-year commitment" to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms. The gaming CEO's most recent tweet alluded to Microsoft's stated plan to make more games accessible to a wider audience. Activision Blizzard has been informed of the agreement and is in the planning stages.
Microsoft has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to @Nintendo following the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King. Microsoft is committed to helping bring more games to more people – however they choose to play. @ATVI_AB
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 7, 2022
The agreement ensures that Microsoft will make the popular first-person shooter series available on Nintendo Switch for 10 years while it waits for federal approval to purchase Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. A ten-year agreement to keep Call of Duty on the PC game shop Steam was also announced.
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'Call of Duty' Timeline Before Potential Nintendo Launch
In a recent interview with Washington Post, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer further explained the decision for a potential launch of Call of Duty on Nintendo consoles.
"You can imagine if [the deal] closed on that date, starting to do development work to make that happen would likely take a little bit of time," Spencer said. "Once we get into the rhythm of this, our plan would be that when [a Call of Duty game] launches on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, that it would also be available on Nintendo at the same time."
Additionally, when asked about the Nintendo Switch's capability to run games like Call of Duty, Spencer answered that their team has the necessary experience when it comes to getting games on multiple platforms. The arrival of Microsoft-owned games like "Minecraft" on the Switch is proof that the company has experience porting games to various platforms. The agreement between Nintendo and Microsoft stipulates a 10-year agreement as Spencer reveals that gamers may find it a comfortable period and that it is likely that the two companies will continue to collaborate.
'Call of Duty' Nintendo Release Draws Mixed Reactions From Fans
Following the idea of the Call of Duty game franchise entering the Nintendo scene, gamers took to Twitter to express their reactions. One user commented on the idea, expressing that the deal may not be a good one considering that Nintendo has never been Call of Duty's previous platform, to begin with, as opposed to their agreement with Xbox platforms.
Giving a platform holder a game for 10 years that never had it vs strong arming a platform holder that has always had it into the same 10 year deal and then shaming them publicly to make it seem like they are the bad guys here. Okay.
— MBG (@xMBGx) December 7, 2022
Furthermore, many game enthusiasts have come to question the decision. Kotaku reports that the pledge may not be due to a Call of Duty market on the Switch but rather because Microsoft is attempting to close a deal to buy Activision, the owner of Call of Duty. This deal is coming under increased scrutiny from governments both domestically and abroad.
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