Microsoft has long since given up on a quick closing for its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. It announced the deal in January 2022, but more than a year later, regulators are putting the screws on Microsoft. In its latest concession, Microsoft has partnered with Nvidia to bring Microsoft-owned games to the GeForce Now cloud gaming service.
If the $69 billion deal is allowed to go through, Microsoft would instantly bulk up its first-party content with Activision Blizzard properties like Warcraft, Diablo, and, most vitally, Call of Duty. Sony, Google, and other competitors have objected to the deal, and regulators are beginning to line up with them. The UK Competition and Markets Authority has suggested that it may block the deal, and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a suit in December to do just that.
So, Microsoft is on a mission to convince everyone that it can play fair, even if it owns some of the most popular gaming franchises in the world. It previously offered a 10-year Call of Duty guarantee to both Sony and Nintendo, ensuring that the popular shooter will be available on competing consoles. Now, it’s taking the goodwill tour to the cloud. After Nvidia reportedly complained to regulators about Microsoft’s plans, the companies have come to an agreement to put its games on GeForce Now. Microsoft specifically claims that Call of Duty will be available on Nvidia’s cloud gaming platform if the deal is allowed to proceed.
According to the joint press release, this partnership also spans 10 years. Microsoft and Nvidia aren’t waiting to hear about the outcome of the Activision Blizzard deal to get started, They will begin working toward bringing “Xbox PC games” to GeForce Now immediately — that’s a new way to refer to PC games. As part of this partnership, the Microsoft Store will become a valid licensing source to unlock streaming on GeForce Now, joining Steam, Epic, and others. If you own a supported Microsoft game on any of those platforms, you can stream it on GeForce Now. Like all the other content on GeForce Now, you can stream these games to PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, smartphones, and more.
This deal will make Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service somewhat less distinctive, but it’ll get Nvidia behind Microsoft. It also shows regulators that Microsoft is willing to give up some control and exclusivity in the name of locking down Activision Blizzard. This is a long-term strategy for Microsoft — both the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch are vastly outselling the Xbox Series S and X, and many point to Microsoft’s relative lack of first-party content as a cause. Microsoft already purchased ZeniMax, giving it control over developers like Bethesda (Fallout, The Elder Scrolls) and id Software (Doom).
Now read:
- Gamers Sue Microsoft to Stall Activision Acquisition
- Microsoft Alleges Sony Pays Developers to Keep Games Off Game Pass
- Microsoft Could Bring Disc-Only Games to Consoles Like Xbox Series S
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