A third day of the ongoing trial between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has wrapped up, and while not as many massive revelations have come to light around Microsoft’s aggressive acquisition strategy or the inner workings of deals with the likes of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, we do have some interesting insight into the views of the folks at camp PlayStation.
Speaking to the case via a pre-recorded via deposition, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan was quizzed over comments made in the past about his competitor’s acquisition plans for Activision, which he reportedly claimed to be the result of Microsoft’s push for Game Pass, implying that publishers otherwise wouldn’t be interested in putting their titles on the service because it’s “value destructive.”
“I talked to all the publishers, and they unanimously do not like Game Pass because it is value destructive,” Ryan told Microsoft’s lawyer in the testimony (via IGN).
Ryan also claimed that Game Pass is unprofitable, saying “The Game Pass business model appears to have some challenges, and Microsoft appears to be losing a lot of money on it.”
The PlayStation Boss’s sentiment towards Game Pass’s profitability comes as Microsoft has very recently announced plans to increase the cost of both its Xbox Series X console (by $50 AUD to $799) and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions (increasing from $15.95 AUD per month to $18.95 AUD per month for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision will give Sony PlayStation gamers a “degraded” experience, an executive with the Japanese electronics giant testified https://t.co/jl2w4qVwPE
— Bloomberg (@business) June 27, 2023
Ryan also revived his stance that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision was a direct threat to PlayStation and could lead to Microsoft intentionally damaging the PlayStation brand, even with the promise of keeping Call of Duty a multiplatform title, by offering PlayStation players a “degraded” experience.
Elsewhere in the testimony, Ryan revealed his feelings on the Xbox and PC exclusivity of Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPG, Starfield, admitting he doesn’t see it as anti-competitive but isn’t overly thrilled about it. “I don’t like it, but I have fundamentally no quarrel with it,” Ryan said about PlayStation 5 players missing out on Starfield, “I don’t like it, but I don’t view it as anti-competitive.”
Image Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)
