An email has been disclosed as part of the ongoing legal wrangle over Microsoft’s effort to acquire publishing and development powerhouse Activision Blizzard, exposing a drive from within Xbox Game Studios to force Sony out of the gaming business through increased spending on the Xbox brand.
The email, issued by Xbox Games Studios’ then-Corporate Vice President Matt Booty, comes on the heels of rumors that Sony will not discuss PlayStation 6 details with Activision if Microsoft’s takeover of the publisher is approved.
Many opponents of Microsoft’s takeover of the gaming behemoth have raised the fear that famous series such as Call of Duty may be restricted to Microsoft’s Xbox systems and Game Pass service, leaving PlayStation fans in the cold.
Meanwhile, supporters of the deal point to Activision’s dismal track record in combatting harassment at its studios and Sony’s history of paying for exclusive releases. Before focusing on Activision Blizzard, Microsoft attempted to acquire mobile game maker Zynga, which was later purchased by Take-Two Interactive.
According to The Verge, an email disclosed as part of the Federal Trade Commission’s case against Microsoft shows Xbox Game Studios’ then-Corporate VP Matt Booty seeking to persuade Xbox CFO Tim Stuart to raise spending on the brand to outspend Sony in the console wars.
Booty, now the Head of Xbox Game Studios, states in a 2019 email to Stuart urging the CFO to spend more money on a content acquisition that Microsoft is “in a very unique position to be able to go spend Sony out of business.” The email’s release comes only days after a federal court temporarily blocked Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision.
In response to the email, which was issued as part of a conversation about Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service, the company claimed that it reflected a business concept that was never realized. Microsoft’s general manager of public affairs, David Cuddy, told The Verge that “This email is three and a half years old and predates the announcement of our acquisition by 25 months.” Cuddy goes on to say that the email “refers to industry trends we never pursued and is unrelated to the acquisition,” dismissing fears that the potentially ruthless tactics mentioned in the email may prohibit Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard.
