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U.S. senator calls on PlayStation to disclose exclusivity deals

A U.S. senator is calling on PlayStation to disclose its exclusivity agreements. Specifically, Senator Kevin Cramer is accusing Sony... Maria | 16. April 2023

A U.S. senator is calling on PlayStation to disclose its exclusivity agreements. Specifically, Senator Kevin Cramer is accusing Sony of anti-competitive behavior, so he is asking the company’s CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, for information about PlayStation’s contracts.

The war between consoles never ends; every day, more organizations and people related to different governments intervene. As a result, we can see how more and more companies that manufacture consoles are present in the offices, courts, and on the rulers’ agenda, whether it be investigations into whether Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard is approved or whether Sony is doing the right thing with all the exclusivity agreements it has recently signed for PlayStation titles.

Kevin Cramer’s senator accuses Sony of anti-competitive behavior

U.S. Senator for North Dakota, Kevin Cramer, accuses Sony of engaging in anti-competitive behavior. The senator asks Sony to disclose information on the exclusivity contracts it has signed and details of the purchase of the studios that develop video games, among other sensitive details.

Sony’s dominance in the video game market

According to the senator, these agreements that Sony has recently closed are crucial to prevent the purchase of Activision Blizzard. Consequently, the senator is concerned about Sony’s dominance in the video game industry after all its actions in recent months.

The senator has sent a letter to Sony, expressing his opinion and commenting that the company could jeopardize an important economic development opportunity for North Dakota. This region of the United States has launched a plan to train young people in computer education careers related to video games.

Given the importance of this industry to North Dakota, the government is concerned about reports from Sony. They appear to be exploiting the company’s leadership to sideline the competition. For the senator, Sony is limiting gamers and video game developers.

On the other hand, Senator Kevin Cramer affirms that Sony is doing everything it can to prevent Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. This demonstrates anti-competitive behavior, especially considering all the pressure Sony puts on all the market regulators.

After exposing all his concerns, the senator asks Sony for copies of exclusivity contracts such as the one for Final Fantasy XVI. He also requests copies of the company’s correspondence with regulators and all government agencies.

For the senator, Sony’s behavior after the announcement of the purchase of Activision Blizzard has not been correct, and he wants to investigate it thoroughly.

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