Phil Spencer Would 'Love' to See Call of Duty on Switch - IGN

After a batch of backmost and distant betwixt Xbox and Sony astir Call of Duty's availability connected different systems should the upcoming Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard spell through, Xbox caput Phil Spencer has conscionable tossed different portion of hardware into the mix: the Nintendo Switch.

Per The Verge's Tom Warren, Spencer said contiguous astatine WSJ Live that not lone volition Call of Duty beryllium disposable connected PlayStation, but helium besides wants to bring it to Nintendo's hybrid device.

"Call of Duty specifically volition beryllium disposable connected PlayStation. I'd emotion to spot it connected the Switch, I'd emotion to spot the crippled playable connected galore antithetic screens. Our intent is to dainty Call of Duty similar Minecraft."

Minecraft, for context, is disposable connected an absurd fig of platforms spanning PC and Mac, iOS and Android and Windows Phone, aggregate Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo systems, Apple TV, Raspberry Pi, and more. At the moment, Call of Duty has lone made it to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and the planned acquisition has had aggregate parties questioning whether PlayStation whitethorn yet beryllium shuffled retired of the mix.

Last we heard, Sony's Jim Ryan was alleging that Microsoft had "only offered for Call of Duty to stay connected PlayStation for 3 years aft the existent statement betwixt Activision and Sony ends," calling the connection "inadequate connected galore levels."

On Spencer's end, he's repeated that portion Call of Duty volition travel to Game Pass, helium inactive intends for it to travel to PlayStation connected the aforesaid time - but he's stopped abbreviated of saying however agelong that volition last, oregon whether Xbox owners mightiness not get different peculiar perks implicit different platforms.

Still, the throughline successful Spencer's past statements has been that Xbox's extremity is to bring games to arsenic galore radical arsenic imaginable connected arsenic galore platforms arsenic possible. He mentioned this again successful the 2nd fractional of his punctuation astatine WSJ Live, emphasizing what the extremity of the Activision Blizzard woody was for Xbox:

"This accidental [the acquisition] is truly astir mobile for us," helium said. "When you deliberation astir 3 cardinal radical playing video games, there's lone astir 200 cardinal households connected console."

Activision Blizzard's mobile arm, King, has been pointed retired earlier arsenic the superior crushed for the acquisition, including with it large mobile franchises similar Candy Crush. It's a large get for a institution similar Xbox, which presently doesn't person overmuch beingness successful the mobile space.

The acquisition conflict has been particularly weird lately arsenic aggregate governments statesman to analyse the monolithic acquisition for imaginable antitrust violations. Xbox precocious launched a website to archer the nationalist what it thinks are the benefits of the buyout. Meanwhile, Sony has been slamming the deal, saying it has "major antagonistic implications for gamers" and urging governments to look into it.

As for Call of Duty connected the Switch? Nintendo's mostly stayed retired of the backmost and distant frankincense far, though backmost successful 2019 determination were rumors of Xbox Live connected Switch, and successful 2021 much rumors hinted that Xbox Game Pass would likewise amusement up. While that ne'er materialized, we did get Cuphead and Ori and the Blind Forest, antecedently Xbox exclusives. Maybe talks haven't stalled retired aft all.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a quality newsman for IGN. You tin find her connected Twitter @duckvalentine.