The Sony-Microsoft-Activision rift has taken a turn for the worst. Following the publication of a report from UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on the Microsoft Activision deal, an Activision Blizzard executive has accused Sony of admitting that it’s only trying to sabotage the merger.
Mud slinging over Microsoft Activision deal continues
The executive in question is none other than Activision Blizzard’s EVP Corporate Affairs and CCO Lulu Cheng Meservey. On Twitter, she claimed that Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said during a recent hearing in Brussels, “I don’t want a new Call of Duty deal. I just want to block your merger.”
Apparently, the aforementioned statement was made on February 21st.
The CEO of SIE answered that question in Brussels.
In his words:
“I don’t want a new Call of Duty deal. I just want to block your merger.”
— Lulu Cheng Meservey (@lulumeservey) March 8, 2023
It seems unlikely that Ryan would go on to make such a statement on record, especially considering that Sony has submitted thousands of pages arguing why it thinks the Microsoft Activision deal will harm business and consumers. Whether we agree with those arguments or not is another matter.
CMA’s decision on the merger is expected in April.