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The exclusive content deal between Sony and Activision has gone too far this time

by: Charlie - posted: 11/6/2020 1:11:00 PM
More On: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is just the most recent Call of Duty game to be subject to an exclusive content deal. In the Xbox 360/PS3 days, it was Microsoft’s console that enjoyed 30-day exclusivity with new DLC packs. When the PS4 and Xbox One came out, that deal switched over to Sony’s machine. 

Last year’s Call of Duty game, the Modern Warfare reboot, took this deal one step further with a survival mode that was exclusive to PS4 for an entire year. Okay, that sucks. We’ve seen that deal before in Destiny so it wasn’t unprecedented but it was still a blow for PC and Xbox gamers. 

This year, the exclusive content deal included a spin-off of the popular Zombies mode; Zombies Onslaught. Again, it will be exclusive to PS4/PS5 for an entire year before coming to other platforms. Again, it sucks, but at least it seemed the worst it would get...

Well, Sony and Activision have found a way to make their deal even more egregious. Announced on the PlayStation blog, it was revealed that on top of the Zombie Onslaught mode being exclusive for an entire year, PlayStation gamers will have access to yet more exclusive content not available on other platforms. 

That content includes:

  • Battle Pass Bundle Bonus: Unlock new gear and goodies even faster. PlayStation players that purchase the $20 Battle Pass Bundles will get an additional 5 tier skips. That’s a total of 25 tier skips!
  • PlayStation Party Bonus: Teamwork makes the dream work. PlayStation players that play together in parties receive +25% bonus weapon XP. The bonus still counts when playing with cross-platform teammates.
  • Double XP Bonus: PlayStation players can look forward to exclusive Monthly Double XP events (24 hr duration), so prepare to boost your rank.
  • Extra Loadouts: Be prepared for any scenario. PlayStation players get an additional 2 loadout slots, ready for customization. Available when Create-A-Class unlocks upon reaching Level 4.

Given that Call of Duty has embraced cross-play as of last year’s entry, this means that PlayStation gamers will enjoy a competitive advantage over PC and Xbox players by being able to level their weapons and characters up quicker. The additional tier skips also means they’ll get access to Battle Pass content quicker.

To be frank, as if the one-year exclusivity of game modes wasn’t bad enough, to add a competitive advantage on top of that is downright awful. Players on PC and Xbox pay the exact same amount for their copy of the latest Call of Duty but this year they’ll go without an entire game mode for an entire year and be subject to a competitive disadvantage if they have cross-play enabled.

Exclusivity deals are a reality of the industry but it just feels like this one has gone one step too far this time.