PlayStation Showcase Delayed Due to Microsoft Activision Acquisition, Reports Insider

According to an insider, PlayStation is delaying an upcoming showcase due to the Microsoft-Activision acquisition.

One of the biggest news stories in gaming right now is Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This is primarily due to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and its investigation of the purchase.

Both Microsoft and the CMA are offering responses to each other regarding the acquisition. However, following this, it seems that PlayStation is avoiding a showcase, as it believes it could add weight to Microsoft’s responses.

Microsoft’s Activision-Blizzard Purchase Could Have Delayed PlayStation Showcase

According to insider Millie A on Twitter, one of the biggest acquisitions in gaming may have caused PlayStation to delay its showcase.

The tweet suggests that “Sony believes a showcase will add weight to [Microsoft’s] arguments”, due to the fact they have “exclusive titles and first party I.P ‘locked in’” and set to appear during the showcase.

Millie A then added to her tweet, saying that the announcement for the showcase was set for October 11, with the showcase going live on October 20. However, there’s currently no new date for the showcase.

Microsoft’s biggest response to the CMA is the fact that PlayStation is the current market leader. In response to the CMA, Microsoft says “[Sony has a] strong first-party game catalog and extensive portfolio of exclusive arrangements with third-party publishers.”

Its response then continues with “There were over 280 exclusive first and third-party titles on PlayStation in 2021, nearly five times as many as on Xbox.”

PlayStation is fairly certain that Xbox Game Pass can make a huge difference, which comes after Microsoft revealed the yearly revenue for Game Pass.

Of course, this is all assuming that the insider is correct. Like any ‘inside’ information, it’s good practice to take it with a pinch of salt. However, with how big the news of the CMA’s investigation has been, it would be no surprise for Sony to lay low.

Whether you are for or against Microsoft purchasing Activision Blizzard, it is unclear whether CMA’s second phase of the investigation will halt the deal.