Sony pulls Redfall into Microsoft’s Activision argument

God, are we still doing this? The ongoing legal battle to push through Xbox's purchase of Activision Blizzard has been agonising for all involved. Especially for the consumer who just wants to see it done so we don't have to hear about it any more.

Sony kicks up a fuss, only for Microsoft to ignore it, while the cycle continues in a needless squabble. And now, PlayStation is trying to rope an upcoming game into the fray.

PlayStation brings Redfall Exclusivity into deal argument

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As pointed out by Eurogamer, It looks like Sony has found itself some new ammunition, as it's using the drama surrounding the almost-developed PlayStation port of Xbox exclusive Redfall to bolster its argument.

"Just last week, two days before the Addendum was published, on 22nd March, video game trade publication IGN published fresh evidence in the form of an interview with Redfall's creative director, Harvey Smith," says Sony's response to the softening stance on the Activision Blizzard deal from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.

It apparently "provides additional insight into Microsoft's strategy." Sony continues, "Like Call of Duty, Redfall is a first-person shooter game that features both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes.

"In his interview with IGN, Mr. Smith explained that Redfall was originally planned to be released on all platforms, including PlayStation, but once Microsoft acquired Bethesda, there was a 'huge sea change ... [Microsoft] said, "No PlayStation 5. Now we're gonna do Game Pass, Xbox, and PC.'"

Sony attacks the CMA

Later on in the response, as though it hadn't caused enough problems for itself already, Sony goes on the criticise the "errors" made by the CMA's modelling on the deal's effects. Whether cans for a PlayStation 5 Redfall were canned or not, the game is now being dragged through the mud. 

Sony has claimed that the CMA underestimated the amount of money that Call of Duty would make Xbox as an exclusive, also that it failed to consider the lack of revenue taken by the publisher if it was owned solely by Xbox.

Redfall is a Microsoft exclusive, however, to compare it to the longevity of the CoDverse seems like a bit of a reach.  It's a bold move from Sony, but it doesn't look as though it's going to do anything other than make the company look worse. Are PlayStation the baddies, or is it the green meanies at Xbox? You decide.