The goal of a corporation is to maximize profits every year, if there is no growth then investors get shaky and want to go elsewhere. MS spent $70 billion to make more than $70 billion, not to finally make use of the money they have in reserves. Because unless they accomplish that, the $70 billion could have been used elsewhere. Its a return on investment they are of course seeking, not just having the assets because the valuations can change at a moments notice.
Sony is making a fuss because CoD is the elephant in the room. It is arguably the #1 reason MS wants ABK, but that is not to say the FTC doesn´t have an issue with the rest of the franchises becoming potentially exclusive. I am sure they will have arguments beyond CoD of why they want to block the purchase when it heads to trial.
And growing an audience means very little if your future intention is for anyone, anywhere to be able to play it.... on Game Pass and as long as the service is allowed on the platform. Again, the 10 year contract is really suspicious because once CoD has been on Game Pass for 10 years, who is to say that MS will even need it on PlayStation or Nintendo? Nintendo has done without for a decade as is, but PlayStation is fighting that very real possibility. All it takes is MS saying ¨We could not reach an agreement to renew out commitments¨ and nothing else can be done.
Would you trust Sony or Nintendo with owning such a massive franchise? I wouldn´t. Why should we trust MS though? Because they say to the public in PR statements that they want ¨gaming for all¨ as they struggle to get their record setting purchase approved? I am glad the FTC are being more discerning than just thinking good guy trillion dollar company won´t be exploitative with control over the largest gaming publisher
