Sony and Microsoft have reached an agreement that will keep the popular video game Call of Duty available on the PlayStation platform, settling a dispute over the title's future.
A US judge declined to prevent Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard, thus enabling the transaction to move forward.
Phil Spencer of Microsoft declared that a "binding agreement" had been entered into by the two tech firms that would ensure that Call of Duty would remain on their gaming platform.
He stated that there would be "increased options" for players.
On Sunday, Mr Spencer signalled the completion of the development, which had been a long-lasting dispute between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard since Microsoft declared their plan to buy Blizzard in early 2022.
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Microsoft has confirmed to the BBC that it has signed a 10-year contract with Sony, which is comparable to the agreement it established with Nintendo.
Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision, valued at a whopping $69bn (£52.6bn), would be the biggest merger ever seen in the gaming world.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been objecting to Microsoft's takeover attempt of Activision, which has resulted in a schism between global regulators.
A US judge deciding against the Federal Trade Commission's plea to delay the deal means the union could be finished by Tuesday.
The US regulator has, however, requested a court for a "temporary pause" on the merger, claiming it would reduce competition.
Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley stated that she did not believe the regulator would succeed in its lawsuit.
Judge Corley asserted that the FTC had not provided evidence to suggest it was likely that the combined firm would remove Call of Duty from Sony PlayStation, or that their ownership of Activision content would significantly reduce competition in the video game library subscription and cloud gaming markets.
After the European Union had given approval to the agreement, there is a pending appeal in the UK to attempt to halt the merger.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided to spend six weeks thoroughly examining the takeover that had earlier been blocked by them.
The CMA has declared that it needs until the end of August to study the "elaborate and intricate" submissions from Microsoft. Despite this, the CMA is determined to carry out its duty promptly and before this date.
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