Microsoft and Nvidia's collaboration in cloud gaming

Update (October 2026): Microsoft and Nvidia announced this 10-year agreement on 21 February 2023, and Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard on 13 October 2023. Xbox PC games began arriving on GeForce NOW in May 2023, starting with Gears 5, and the first Activision titles, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Modern Warfare II and Warzone, followed on 30 November 2023.

In February 2023 Microsoft and Nvidia, two companies whose tools are widely used in custom software development, officially joined forces, unveiling a decade-long partnership to bring Xbox PC games to Nvidia's cloud gaming service, GeForce NOW, which at the time had more than 25 million members in over 100 countries.

The deal allows gamers to stream Xbox PC games from GeForce NOW to an array of devices, including PCs, macOS, Chromebooks, smartphones, and more. Furthermore, it paves the way for the inclusion of Activision Blizzard PC titles, including the iconic 'Call of Duty’ series, following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which was completed in October 2023.

Read more: Sony reveals it has started testing internal testing of PS5 games via cloud streaming.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer emphasised the commitment to providing players with diverse choices and expanding gaming accessibility. Spencer stated: "This partnership will help grow Nvidia’s catalogue 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".

Jeff Fisher, Senior Vice President for GeForce at NVIDIA, highlighted the synergy between Xbox's extensive game catalogue and GeForce NOW's cutting-edge streaming capabilities. "Combining the incredibly rich catalogue of Xbox first-party games with GeForce NOW’s high-performance streaming capabilities will propel cloud gaming into a mainstream offering that appeals to gamers at all levels of interest and experience", - Fisher explained.

The companies said the partnership resolved NVIDIA's concerns about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and that NVIDIA would offer its full support for regulatory approval of the deal. The immediate focus was on integrating Xbox PC games into GeForce NOW, allowing members to stream games directly from the Windows Store, including third-party partner titles. This integration also extends to Xbox PC games available on other platforms like Steam or Epic Games Store.

The agreement was announced at a Microsoft press conference in Brussels, Belgium. The partnership fits Microsoft's broader strategy of expanding its gaming ecosystem, creating a more inclusive and accessible gaming experience for enthusiasts worldwide.

Both companies began work immediately to integrate Xbox PC games into GeForce NOW, opening up a new realm of possibilities for cloud gaming. Gamers can stay tuned for updates on Microsoft's upcoming game releases, with release dates regularly shared on GeForce NOW's GFN Thursday updates.