US asks Sony to disclose PlayStation exclusive deals

Sony does not stop in its attempts to stop the purchase of Activision by Microsoft. However, the Japanese are backtracking. And the fact is that the authorities and regulators are increasingly showing interest in the actions of the said company in the video game industry.

Of course, no authority can bring a case against Microsoft without first knowing Sony’s competitive strategy, and this is where the owner of the PlayStation can be exposed. In the United States, for example, Senator asks Sony to disclose all of its exclusive agreements with third parties. That is, those that limit the availability of certain games Third side on your brand console.

This is the Republican Senator from North Dakota, Kevin Kramerwho recently said he sent a letter to Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida to get information.

“I am writing to express my concerns about Sony’s efforts to protect its video game console business from competition. For over 20 years, Sony has completely dominated the console market as defined by the Federal Trade Commission. I am concerned that Sony’s dominance of this market and its attempts to perpetuate its current position threaten North Dakota’s significant economic development opportunities.”

Kevin Kramer.

The senator also wants to know how Sony got the green light to buy Bungie.

The document, sent on April 13, asks to share “all agreements giving Sony the exclusive right to distribute a game developed by an independent publisher” that they collect in Axios. If the company agrees – or will soon be forced to – it will have to disclose contracts for games as final fantasy 16 or a remake Silent Hill 2to mention just a couple of cases.

Also, intends to find out what Sony’s agreements are to keep certain games out of Xbox Game Pass.. Finally, you want to learn more about buying from Bungie. In particular, all information is sent to regulatory authorities for their approval. It is clear that the senator does not trust the process that allowed the PlayStation to seize the assets of the creators Halo.

The curious thing about this issue is that Yoshida, and indeed the management of Sony in Japan in general, remained on the sidelines of the onslaught against the acquisition of Activision. Be careful, the above does not mean that they do not intend to stop it, but that it is other managers who show their faces. The most notable case is that of Jim Ryan, director of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

It is therefore interesting that the senator decided to skip Sony’s video game division in order to contact the head of the company. Will there be a response from Yoshida? The truth is that they are unlikely to share information voluntarily. However, if there is a legal order, they will not be able to resist.

The authorities initially listened to all the complaints and demands of Sony, which is why the purchase of Activision passed the stage of uncertainty. What is clear, however, is that regulators have realized that Sony is not quite the epitome of healthy competition. Their crusade to prevent a power grab could backfire…