At this point, it’s undisputed that The Last of Us TV adaptation is one of the most well-received and popular video game adaptations yet. In fact, it’s so popular that the series has already been greenlit for a second season when it’s only a couple of episodes in.
Now, Lulu Cheng Meservey, the chief communications officer of Activision Blizzard, says that the roaring success of the HBO show is all the proof needed that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard should be allowed to proceed. On Twitter, Lulu Cheng Meservey reached out to the FTC to find out if it had watched the most recent episode.
Hi @FTC — did you catch last night’s episode of The Last of Us? It was incredible.
No wonder the show is breaking records. It’s a true blockbuster, watched by tens of millions.
If you haven’t already, you should check it out. You may be particularly interested in the fact that pic.twitter.com/MhcT0DmOsM
— Lulu Cheng Meservey (@lulumeservey) January 30, 2023
“If you haven’t already, you should check it out. You may be particularly interested in the fact that The Last of Us is produced by Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions. It’s based on a best-selling video game developed by a Sony-owned studio and published by Sony as a PlayStation exclusive.”
Lulu Cheng then explained that the FTC is opposing Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard because of concerns it might suppress competition by making the Call of Duty series Xbox exclusives.
According to Lulu Cheng, this concern is little more than clutching at straws because the success of The Last of Us show demonstrates that there’s nothing to worry about.
“Sony has an unrivalled warchest of IP, not just in gaming but TV, movies, and music—which can be developed into games, or can market existing games.”
“Sony’s talent and IP across gaming, TV, movies, and music are formidable and truly impressive. It’s no wonder they also continue to dominate as the market leader for consoles. In gaming, Sony is ‘the first of us’—and they will be just fine without the FTC’s protection.”
This Twitter thread has been met with negativity and confusion. Many pointed out that the comparison doesn’t make sense. At the same time, several other Twitter users noted that Microsoft has also had hits when it comes to adaptions, like with the Halo series and that even at a game-to-game level, the two The Last of Us games can’t be compared to the Call of Duty series which grows annually.