No Hogwarts Legacy treatment for Call of Duty franchise, confirms Xbox head

Spencer emphasised that Xbox wants to expand the number of places where Call of Duty can be played

Xbox head Phil Spencer confirmed that the company will not be following in the footsteps of Hogwarts Legacy when it comes to the Call of Duty franchise. With the potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard, PlayStation gamers may have been concerned about missing out on exclusive content. However, Spencer assured fans in a recent interview with Xbox On that Xbox won't be taking any exclusivity deals with Call of Duty if the IP comes under their control.

Xbox head Phil Spencer

Console exclusivity has been a big part of how PlayStation and Xbox compete, with both companies paying for timed exclusives on their platforms. One notable example is Hogwarts Legacy, which offers the same experience across platforms except for a horror-themed quest exclusive to PlayStation.Spencer emphasised that Xbox wants to expand the number of places where Call of Duty can be played, adding that removing the game from existing players would not make it bigger.

Spencer went on to say that Xbox is not interested in making gun skins or certain game modes exclusive to their platform, as they want the same version of the game available to everyone. He cited Minecraft as an example, saying that Xbox players don't feel like they have a lesser version of the game when compared to PlayStation players. While both Sony and Xbox have secured exclusive content for Call of Duty in the past, Spencer's statement suggests that this practice will come to an end with the potential acquisition.

However, the acquisition is not a done deal yet, as it still has to clear some regulatory hurdles. If Xbox is successful in acquiring Activision Blizzard, it will be interesting to see how they handle one of the biggest franchises in the gaming industry. Fans on all platforms will be keeping a close eye on any developments.