Microsoft pledges to bring Xbox PC games to Nvidia GeForce Now

By Tomas Franzese February 21, 2023

Microsoft has announced a 10-year partnership with Nvidia aimed at bringing Xbox PC games to its cloud gaming service competitor Nvidia GeForce Now as part of its ongoing efforts to win over companies skeptical of its potebtial Activision Blizzard acquisition.

This means that players can use Nvidia GeForce Now to play the Steam, Epic Games Store, or Windows versions of titles like Halo Infinite, Redfall, and eventually, Call of Duty through the cloud on GeForce Now. Third-party publishers with games on the Windows Store can also now grant streaming rights to Nvidia. This announcement came during a European Commission hearing where Microsoft tried to convince regulators that its impending acquisition should bne allowed.

Microsoft has been under a lot of regulatory scrutiny even since it announced its intent to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022. It’s trying to win over industry peers with deals like this one with Nvidia. This week, the Communications Workers of America voiced its approval of the deal, and Microsoft has signed a binding agreement to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms as well. Previously, Nvidia had raised concerns about Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition, but the press release announcing this agreement states that the deal “resolves Nvidia’s concerns,” and that Nvidia now gives “full support for regulatory approval of the acquisition.”

Regulatory bodies in the U.S., U.K., and Europe are worried that Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard will hurt the game industry and sabotage Microsoft’s competitors in both console and cloud gaming. Nvidia GeForce Now is seen as one of the biggest competitors to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s cloud service offerings, which makes it surprising that it reached an agreement with Nvidia. However, this deal also demonstrates how Microsoft is willing to make concessions so that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard is approved.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Gaming Staff Writer

Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…

Gaming

Your Xbox Live Gold subscription will turn into Xbox Game Pass Core this September

Microsoft finally made the decision to move on from its monthly online-access subscription service Xbox Live Gold. On September 14, Xbox Live Gold will transform into Xbox Game Pass Core, with current Gold subscribers automatically gaining a Game Pass Core subscription.

An Xbox Live subscription tied to online play has existed in some form since Xbox Live launched in 2002, but Xbox Live Gold as we now know it truly came into form in July 2013 when Microsoft started the Games with Gold program that gave subscribers free games each month in addition to that online access. Although Microsoft rolled back some online restrictions in 2021, Games with Gold continues to this day. That will all end when Game Pass Core launches.

Gaming

Microsoft beat the FTC. Here’s what the controversial court ruling means for Xbox

You’ve probably heard that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lost its case against Microsoft after an exciting and revelatory trial. On Tuesday, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley denied FTC's motion for a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard before its potential completion by July 18. Ultimately, Corley did not believe that Microsoft owning Call of Duty would “substantially lessen competition” in the game industry. It was major win for Microsoft after months of regulatory hoops and roadblocks, but the FTC quickly moved to appeal the decision. This all raises an important question: What’s next?

Over the next week, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, and the FTC will determine the fate of the gaming companies involved in this acquisition and set a precedent for the future of the game industry. On top of that, Microsoft still has to deal with the next moves made by the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which wants to block the acquisition due to its impact on cloud gaming. Following the release of Judge Corley’s Preliminary Injunction Opinion, I spoke to two analysts and a lawyer with knowledge of the video game industry to better understand what lies ahead for Microsoft and Activision, the FTC, and the CMA. The battle isn't quite over yet, even if the end is finally on the horizon.
What’s next for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard
Currently, Microsoft and Activision are in a solid position, as a Judge has ruled that Microsoft is unlikely to pull Call of Duty from PlayStation or lessen competition in the game console, cloud gaming, or game subscription markets by acquiring Activision Blizzard. There’s a temporary restraining order in place until July 14, which the FTC hopes to successfully appeal during. As soon as that order is up, though, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have until July 18 to complete the acquisition.

Gaming

Microsoft wins FTC case, removing Xbox’s biggest Activision Blizzard acquisition hurdle

Characters shooting in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Following a multi-week court case, Microsoft has won its battle with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. The ruling is a major win for Microsoft's troubled deal, clearing the biggest hurdle it faced.

Last January, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. The blockbuster announcement immediately raised antitrust concerns, which resulted in the FTC filing a legal challenge in December 2022. Microsoft has not been able to proceed with the acquisition since then, as its faced similar scrutiny in the U.K.