Microsoft announced a 10-year cloud-gaming commitment with UK telecom operator EE on April 11, 2023. It was meant to bring Xbox games and Activision Blizzard PC games to EE customers after Microsoft completed its proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. It was not an announcement that the games were immediately available, free, or included with every EE plan.
What Microsoft and EE announced
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer announced that Microsoft and EE were expanding their existing partnership with a 10-year commitment focused on cloud gaming. The planned content covered Xbox games and PC games made by Activision Blizzard, with the Activision Blizzard portion conditional on Microsoft completing its acquisition. The announcement, reported on April 11, 2023, described the games as coming to EE customers; it did not set out a consumer launch or a detailed offer.
That distinction matters for anyone weighing the value of an EE mobile or broadband plan. A long-term partnership is not the same as a service that has launched, and the announcement did not say whether access would cost extra or be bundled with particular plans.
What EE customers were—and were not—told
EE was identified as Microsoft’s telecom partner for reaching customers. The announcement did not describe EE as the publisher of the games, grant it exclusive rights, or explain the delivery arrangements. It also left key customer-facing terms open:
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- MODERNIZED DESIGN — Experience the modernized design of the XBOX Wireless Controller with sculpted surfaces and updated geometry that enhances comfort and control during long gaming sessions.
- PRECISION PERFORMANCE — Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grips on triggers, bumpers, and back case for improved accuracy and handling.
- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
- No launch date or named EE plan.
- No complete list of games or confirmed individual titles.
- No statement that access would be free, included with every EE plan, or available without a separate subscription or game licence.
- No details on a dedicated EE app, supported devices, or whether streaming would use Xbox Cloud Gaming or another provider.
Those missing terms make it impossible to calculate the deal’s value to a particular customer from the announcement alone. A reader would need an actual offer’s eligibility rules, subscription requirements, supported games, and any additional charges before comparing it with an existing EE plan or another way to play.
Which games might have been covered?
The announcement referred broadly to PC games made by Activision Blizzard; it did not publish a title-by-title catalogue. Franchises such as Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft are relevant examples of Activision Blizzard properties, but none should be treated as a confirmed EE launch title on that basis. The UK Competition and Markets Authority discussed major Activision Blizzard content including Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft in its cloud-gaming competition review, not as a list of games promised to EE.
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- MODERNIZED DESIGN — Experience the modernized design of the XBOX Wireless Controller with sculpted surfaces and updated geometry that enhances comfort and control during long gaming sessions.
- PRECISION PERFORMANCE — Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grips on triggers, bumpers, and back case for improved accuracy and handling.
- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
Nor does the announcement establish access to every version or category of game. Its wording specifically named Activision Blizzard PC games alongside Xbox games; it did not say that console versions, mobile games published by King or Activision, or every future release would be included. Streaming access would also not, by itself, mean that a customer owned a game permanently.
Why the deal was announced during the acquisition fight
Microsoft announced the EE commitment while seeking regulatory approval to buy Activision Blizzard. The UK CMA blocked the proposed acquisition in April 2023, citing concerns that it could reduce competition, innovation, and choice in cloud gaming. The CMA’s decision made cloud access a central issue in the UK review.
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- MODERNIZED DESIGN — Experience the modernized design of the XBOX Wireless Controller with sculpted surfaces and updated geometry that enhances comfort and control during long gaming sessions.
- PRECISION PERFORMANCE — Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grips on triggers, bumpers, and back case for improved accuracy and handling.
- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
Microsoft presented long-term access agreements with partners as a way to show that Activision Blizzard games could reach more players rather than become exclusive to Xbox. A Microsoft overview of its regulatory commitments listed EE among the companies involved in agreements intended to widen access. The commercial logic was also to extend Xbox services beyond dedicated consoles to people using connected devices. That is context for the announcement, not proof of a particular EE product or of Microsoft’s private motives.
The EE commitment was separate from Microsoft’s other agreements and proposals involving cloud providers and console platforms. It should not be read as the same deal as commitments concerning Nintendo or Sony, or as a standalone Call of Duty agreement.
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- BOLD STYLE, BUILT TO PERFORM — Define your swagger with a wild, head-turning design. Stay elegantly on target with textured triggers built for every moment.
- RUBBERIZED GRIPS — Hold on to the action with rubberized grips on the back cases, designed for comfort and control during long gaming sessions.
- UP TO 40 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 40 hours of battery life so you can keep playing without stopping to recharge.
- PLAY ACROSS EVERY SCREEN — Quickly pair with, play on, and switch between devices including console and PC. Stream games across mobile, gaming handhelds, Smart TVs, and supported VR headsets with XBOX Cloud Gaming.
How the final cloud-rights structure changed
Microsoft completed its Activision Blizzard acquisition on October 13, 2023, after restructuring the transaction. Under that structure, Ubisoft received cloud-streaming rights outside the European Economic Area for Activision Blizzard games then available and games released over the following 15 years. Ubisoft can license those rights to other cloud-gaming providers under different commercial models. The CMA approved the restructured transaction on October 13, 2023. The CMA case record sets out the revised arrangement; its explanation of the remedy describes Ubisoft’s role.
This later remedy means the April 2023 EE announcement cannot be used to infer that Microsoft alone would directly control or supply all Activision Blizzard cloud access everywhere. The EE announcement predated the final regulatory structure, and it did not explain how its proposed customer access would work under that structure.
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What cloud gaming would mean for a customer
In cloud gaming, remote servers run the game and stream its video and audio to a device, while the player’s controller or keyboard inputs travel back over the internet. That can let someone play without installing or running the full game locally, but the experience depends on more than the advertised speed of a connection. Latency, congestion, Wi-Fi quality, mobile coverage, data limits, device support, and service availability can all matter.
For a personal-finance comparison, count the full cost rather than treating the network plan as the whole offer: consider any extra charge for the EE plan, a game subscription, or a separate game licence. Also compare that total with what you already pay and whether you would use the service enough to justify the difference. The 2023 announcement does not provide the prices or access terms needed to do that calculation.
What the 10-year term does not guarantee
A 10-year commitment describes the stated duration of the partnership, not a promise that every Activision Blizzard game would be available continuously for a decade. The announcement did not guarantee a complete catalogue, access for every EE customer, free play, console downloads, UK exclusivity, or permanent ownership. It also did not establish how future licensing, technical, platform, age-rating, or regulatory conditions might affect individual games.
It is a historical announcement, not evidence that a specific EE gaming benefit is currently available. The source announcement gives no customer launch date, and it cannot establish current availability in 2026. Anyone considering an EE plan on the strength of a gaming benefit should first confirm the current plan terms and supported titles directly with EE and the relevant game service.
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