Microsoft Announces Another 10-Year Cloud Gaming Deal With Ubitus
Microsoft announced today another 10-year deal with Ubitus, a cloud gaming provider based in Japan. The deal will make Microsoft’s PC games available on the company’s cloud gaming platform, and this will also apply to Activision Blizzard games if Microsoft manages to complete its $68 billion acquisition of the company.
In recent years, Ubitus has helped game developers and publishers to make cloud-based versions of their AAA games on the Nintendo Switch. Resident Evil 7, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Control, Hitman 3, and Marvel’s Guardian of the Galaxy have all been released on the Nintendo Switch thanks to Ubitus cloud gaming technology. “Our commitment is to give more players, more choice,” said Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming today.
Microsoft and Ubitus @ubituskk, a leading cloud gaming provider, have signed a 10-year partnership to stream Xbox PC Games as well as Activision Blizzard titles after the acquisition closes. Our commitment is to give more players, more choice.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 15, 2023
Ubitus has also been an Azure customer for a couple of years. Back in 2018, the company announced that it would integrate its own GPU cloud technology with Azure to expand its hybrid gaming cloud globally.
This new partnership was announced just a day after Microsoft announced a similar 10-year deal with Boosteroid, another cloud gaming platform based in Ukraine. Microsoft also previously announced a 10-year deal with Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service, as well as another 10-year deal with Nintendo to release Call of Duty back on the company’s consoles.
With this latest cloud licensing deal, Microsoft intends to prove to regulators scrutinizing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard that it won’t be restricting access to these games. Following its agreements with Nintendo and Nvidia, Microsoft said that it was committed to making Call of Duty available for 150 million more players.