Microsoft has signed a 10-year deal to bring all your PC games to Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service, including Activision-Blizzard games, should Microsoft’s acquisition of the publishing giant go through. The deal is one more step by Microsoft to calm regulators’ concerns about its pending $69 billion acquisition.
“The partnership provides more choice for gamers and resolves Nvidia’s concerns regarding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard,” the company wrote in its website. “Therefore, Nvidia offers its full support for the regulatory approval of the acquisition.” the new deal will allow GeForce Now users to stream PC games to Xbox purchased through Windows Store, Steam or Epic Games Store.
The announcement follows a similar agreement signed by Microsoft with Nintendo, which guarantees that Call of Duty is coming to Nintendo devices “Same day as Xbox, with full feature and content parity.” Nvidia’s deal differs in that it encompasses all Xbox PC games, not just Call of Duty, and it’s notable considering that GeForce Now is a direct competitor to Microsoft’s own cloud gaming service.
Previously, Microsoft committed to Valve for the same 10 years for Call of Duty, although Gabe Newell said that a formal agreement was “not necessary”. The deal was also extended to Sony, though PlayStation’s parent company has refused to sign on as it continues to oppose the acquisition.
These commitments are an appeal to the main concerns of regulators about Microsoft making Activision-Blizzard’s biggest games, specifically Call of Duty, exclusive to Xbox, a move they argue would stifle competition and thus hurt consumers.
Nvidia’s commitment was announced during a press conference in Brussels, in which Microsoft also ruled out the idea of splitting the main Activision-Blizzard subsidiaries (Activision, Blizzard and King) to push the merger through regulatory reviews.
Announced more than a year ago, the acquisition has been challenged by the US Federal Trade Commission, the UK Markets and Competition Authority and, most recently, the European Union. Despite the setbacks, Xbox’s Phil Spencer has told IGN that he remains confident that the deal will go ahead..
“I think the more informed the regulators are about what gaming is, how the business works, who the players are, and what our ambition is as Team Xbox, the better for the industry itself,” he said.
