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Nvidia and Microsoft announced today they’ve signed a deal bringing Xbox PC games to the GeForce Now cloud gaming platform. In the coming weeks, players who own Xbox games on PC games — both via the Microsoft Store and third-party storefronts — can stream them via GeForce Now’s cloud gaming capabilities. If Microsoft’s planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard goes through, Battle.net will eventually be included in the GeForce Now integration.
Nvidia’s GeForce Now is a cloud gaming service that allows users to stream games they’ve purchased to other platforms. Users purchase the actual games from other storefronts, including Steam and the Epic Games Store.
According to the company’s announcement, titles coming to GeForce Now users include “PC games they buy in the Windows Store, including third-party partner titles where the publisher has granted streaming rights to Nvidia. Xbox PC games currently available in third-party stores like Steam or Epic Games Store will also be able to be streamed through GeForce NOW.”
In an interview with GamesBeat, Phil Eisler, Nvidia’s general manager of GeForce Now, said he expects this to transform GeForce Now. “It’s about offering a great experience to players who enjoy PC games. PC players have the option of enjoying their games in the cloud via GeForce Now. It’s more supportive of that side of their business.”
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Where Activision-Blizzard fits in
This new deal also signals support for the pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. Regulatory authorities raised objections to the acquisition, with one objection being that Microsoft would make Xbox games exclusive to its own cloud gaming service. This would allegedly stifle competition in the cloud gaming space. By joining forces with GeForce Now, Microsoft shows it will not keep its games exclusive.
Microsoft also announced a similar 10-year deal with Nintendo today, bringing Call of Duty to the competing console-maker’s platform. This deal similarly refutes the UK’s Competition and Market Authority’s claim that it would be “commercially beneficial to make Activision’s games exclusive to [Microsoft’s] own consoles.”
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said in a statement, “Xbox remains committed to giving people more choice and finding ways to expand how people play. This partnership will help grow NVIDIA’s catalog of titles to include games like Call of Duty, while giving developers more ways to offer streaming games. We are excited to offer gamers more ways to play the games they love.”
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Author: Rachel Kaser
Source: Venturebeat
