Microsoft has revealed that it plans on replacing Call of Duty Mobile with the upcoming Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. Microsoft announced this as part of its response to the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
“CoD: Mobile was developed and is owned by TiMi Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent,” said Microsoft in its statement (via VGC).
While the replacement is planned, Microsoft states that it will be gradual. “CoD: Mobile is expected to be phased out over time (outside of China) with the launch of Warzone Mobile,” the company stated.
In response to the UK CMA stating that Microsoft might need to sell off the Call of Duty franchise for its acquisition to go through, Microsoft also stated that doing so would have a negative impact on competition, preventing Microsoft from competing against Apple and Google.
“A divestment would have severe adverse effects on the development of competition because it would prevent Microsoft from achieving its key strategic objective, namely building a mobile gaming business with sufficient scale in order to challenge Google and Apple,” said Microsoft.
The company has also stated that divesting any part of Activision Blizzard after its acquisition would have a negative impact, revealing that it needs Call of Duty Mobile, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, as well as Blizzard’s Diablo Immortal to compete in the mobile market.
“These are among the most relevant mobile games published by Activision,” said Microsoft. “It is these games, particularly Warzone Mobile and Diablo Immortal (rather than the King games), which would provide Microsoft with the assets, know-how and talent to develop mobile versions of its own console games.”