Sony’s Fumble In Documents Reveals Call of Duty’s $800 Million Worth for PlayStation

Jun 29, 2023 | 1:57 PM EDT

Sony’s Fumble In Documents Reveals Call of Duty’s $800 Million Worth for PlayStation

Jun 29, 2023 | 1:57 PM EDT

The FTC vs Microsoft case has caused an uproar in the gaming community. This high-profile case has been pumping out the secrets of the industry like no other. Both parties are neck-to-neck in their arguments. Although the case has dragged rival companies like PlayStation and Nintendo into the mix, the main focus still remains on the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal.

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A recent fumble from Sony, however, has spiced things up in this case. The PlayStation makers, unfortunately, redacted sensitive information poorly, leading to the revelation of vital information, and Activision’s magnum opus Call of Duty is relevant to this vital information.

Sony accidentally reveals the true worth of Call of Duty to their PlayStation consoles

In the poorly redacted documents from Sony, a piece of key information about Call of Duty came to light. The document was a letter from PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan revealing how vital Call of Duty was for them. He explicitly mentions that this title from Activision “directly generated over $800 million” for PS consoles alone in the US. Furthermore, this implies Call of Duty is a cash cow for Sony that they cannot afford to lose.

Along with Call of Duty, the document also revealed information on PlayStation’s exclusive titles. The Horizon Forbidden West cost $212 million and The Last of Us Part II took $220 million to make. But looking at the critical acclaim and love from fans, a case could be made for their budget. Additionally, the document also revealed that fifty percent of PlayStation 5 users have also bought a Nintendo Switch. This puts Xbox lagging behind its competitors.

So the FTC vs Microsoft case will be crucial for Xbox’s rival company PlayStation too. If the deal goes through, and Microsoft decides to make Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive, it will result in heavy losses for PlayStation. It has also been revealed over a million users only play Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles.

As of now, Xbox higher-ups have denied using the exclusivity card, with Xbox CEO even assuring fans that Call of Duty will not be affected by the deal.

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What are your thoughts on Call of Duty being a key player for the future of Sony? Let us know in the comments section below.

Written by

Ajitesh Rawat

1,222 Articles

Ajitesh Rawat is a WNBA and College Basketball Writer at EssentiallySports, where he leads the outlet’s Strategy Desk. With a research-driven approach and a reader-first mindset shaped during his stint as a Content Analyst, he covers the mechanics of the game with depth and precision. From injury reports and roster depth charts to player trades and transfer portal moves, Ajitesh brings clarity to the decisions that shape outcomes. Known for highlighting under-covered talent across the women’s game, his reporting has also earned him a spot in ES’ Journalistic Excellence Program. Beyond basketball, Ajitesh’s versatility has seen him spearhead LPGA and LIV Golf coverage while contributing to esports and FPS gaming guides, a reflection of his background as both a game developer and digital strategist. That unique blend of technical expertise and editorial instinct allows him to navigate fast-moving sports landscapes while connecting fans to the tactical and cultural undercurrents driving the games they love.

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Edited by

Jayant Chhabra