Microsoft has announced that it's bringing the Xbox library of PC games to Nvidia's GeForce Now platform. The announcement comes amid scrutiny over Microsoft's pending $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard from regulators like the US' FTC and the UK's CMA. With growing worries about the tech giant's potential monopolistic hold over gaming, Microsoft has been increasingly looking to garner support from industry players and its Nvidia partnership may be the latest effort on that front.
The Activision deal has been regularly taking the spotlight as regulators continue to voice concerns over the potential implications of the acquisition. Though it's not merely regulatory bodies, nearly half of Xbox's rivals are reportedly concerned with the Activision purchase. A big reason for this opposition is the fact that the acquisition would give Xbox exclusive rights to Call of Duty, Overwatch, Candy Crush, and a host of other massive franchises. This could mean Microsoft may potentially exercise its exclusive control over these IPs, particularly via its Xbox Game Pass and Cloud Gaming services. Now, the partnership with Nvidia is likely part of the Xbox maker's counter to these concerns.
According to the agreement, Microsoft will bring Xbox's slew of PC games to Nvidia's GeForce Now service under a 10-year partnership with the company. The announcement claims that under the agreement, players can stream PC games bought on the Windows Store along with third-party titles that ship with streaming rights to Nvidia. Xbox PC games available in third-party stores like Epic Games Store and Steam can also be streamed on GeForce Now. It's worth noting that games would still need to be purchased before becoming available on GeForce Now as the deal only specifies streaming rights.
The Nvidia deal comes just hours after Microsoft's agreement with Nintendo which includes a similar 10-year arrangement. Under the Nintendo agreement, Microsoft will bring Call of Duty titles to Nintendo players on the same day they are launched on Xbox. The agreement further states Xbox games in general will be made available to Nintendo players, though it's unclear how exactly that will pan out on the platform.
Microsoft may likely be hoping these agreements may turn things its way, especially since Nvidia will now publicly voice its support for the Activision acquisition deal. Interestingly, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) has also voiced support for Microsoft, stating that the acquisition would benefit the global gaming labor market. Nevertheless, whether all of this will play out in Microsoft's favor, time will tell.
Source: Microsoft