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Microsoft announced a 10-year cloud-gaming agreement with European platform Nware on April 28, 2023. The arrangement covered Xbox PC games and was intended to include Activision Blizzard titles if Microsoft completed its proposed acquisition. It was a licensing commitment—not an immediate promise that Nware users would receive the entire Xbox or Activision catalog.
What Microsoft and Nware actually announced
Microsoft President Brad Smith announced the agreement two days after the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked Microsoft’s proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. Reuters and other reports described Nware as a Spanish or European cloud-gaming service.
| Term | What was disclosed |
|---|---|
| Parties | Microsoft and Nware |
| Length | 10 years |
| Initial content | PC games built by Xbox |
| Activision content | Activision Blizzard titles if the acquisition closed |
| Delivery method | Streaming through Nware’s cloud-gaming service |
| Financial terms | Not publicly disclosed |
Microsoft’s announcement described a licensing relationship. It did not publish a complete game list, launch timetable, technical specification, or promise that every title would be available in every country. Reuters, The National and Thurrott reported the core terms.
Why the announcement came after the UK blocked the acquisition
On April 26, 2023, the CMA blocked the original Microsoft-Activision transaction, saying it could reduce innovation and choice in the developing cloud-gaming market. The regulator was concerned that Microsoft would control both important game content and a powerful distribution ecosystem. Its decision is documented in the CMA’s press release.
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Microsoft had already announced comparable arrangements with several rival cloud providers. Adding Nware gave Microsoft another example of its proposed approach: license games to competing services rather than reserve them exclusively for Microsoft’s own cloud products. The timing also supported Microsoft’s appeal of the UK decision.
That distinction matters. The Nware agreement was evidence of Microsoft’s commercial commitments, but it was not a regulatory approval or a remedy the CMA accepted as sufficient. In its final materials, the CMA said 10-year licensing agreements did not materially change its assessment of Microsoft’s ability and incentive to influence or foreclose rivals. See the CMA final decision.
What Xbox users were—and were not—promised
“Xbox PC games” is narrower than all Xbox games
The announced scope referred to PC games built by Xbox. That wording does not mean every Xbox console title, every first-party release, or every game in the Xbox catalog would automatically run on Nware. A title would still need technical support, the necessary rights, regional clearance and implementation by the service.
Licensing was not the same as an immediate catalog launch
The announcement did not identify which games would appear first or when they would become playable. A 10-year term described the duration of the commercial relationship, not a day-one release schedule. Individual games could be delayed, omitted or offered under different ownership and subscription rules.
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There was no universal free-access promise
The agreement did not establish that users could stream every Xbox game without buying it. Cloud services may require ownership through a supported PC storefront, a qualifying subscription, a Microsoft account or another entitlement. Nware’s own catalog and account requirements would determine the practical experience.
What Activision Blizzard coverage meant in April 2023
When Microsoft and Nware announced the deal, Microsoft did not yet own Activision Blizzard. The statement therefore made Activision access conditional: Microsoft said those titles would be covered if the acquisition completed.
It would be inaccurate to say that games such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft or Candy Crush were immediately available on Nware. The acquisition later closed in October 2023, after the UK transaction was restructured, but the legal treatment of Activision’s cloud rights then became more complicated.
How the regulatory outcome changed the deal’s context
August 2023: Ubisoft received key cloud rights
In August 2023, Microsoft restructured the transaction so Ubisoft would receive Activision’s cloud-streaming rights outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Ubisoft could license that content to other cloud services and choose commercial models such as buy-to-play or a multigame subscription. Microsoft described the structure in its restructuring announcement.
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Microsoft also said it retained the rights needed to meet European Commission commitments and honor existing cloud agreements, including its obligation to Nware. That meant the original Nware commitment did not simply disappear, but it no longer fit a simple model in which Microsoft directly controlled every Activision cloud right worldwide.
October 2023: the CMA cleared the revised transaction
The CMA cleared the restructured deal on October 13, 2023, saying the Ubisoft arrangement addressed its earlier concerns. The regulator’s decision and explanation are available through its clearance announcement and the ex-cloud-streaming-rights inquiry.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why geography matters
The post-acquisition framework was not uniform worldwide. Microsoft’s European commitments applied to consumers in the EEA, while Ubisoft’s transferred cloud-streaming rights covered territories outside the EEA. The existence of a contract with Nware therefore does not prove that the same Activision catalog, terms or availability applied in the UK, United States and every other market.
Before subscribing to any cloud service, a player should check whether it operates in their country and whether the specific game is licensed there. Microsoft’s European explanation is available in its cloud-gaming policy statement.
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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.
What the agreement meant for the cloud-gaming market
Potential benefits
- Microsoft: More distribution for PC games and a visible response to concerns about exclusive control of cloud content.
- Nware: Access to recognizable Microsoft content and a stronger proposition against larger services.
- Players: Another potential way to play PC games on devices that cannot run them locally.
- The market: Greater emphasis on wholesale licensing, rather than a single provider controlling access to major releases.
Limits that remained
- The agreement did not guarantee a complete Xbox or Activision catalog.
- It did not guarantee a particular resolution, frame rate, latency or device list.
- Actual access could depend on game ownership, storefront integration, regional rights and Nware’s technical support.
- The CMA’s original concern involved Microsoft’s long-term ability and incentive to shape the market; a contract alone did not remove that concern.
How to evaluate a cloud service today
The 2023 agreement should not be treated as a current Nware catalog or price list. A GameSpot report cited a starting membership price of $11 per month on April 28, 2023, but that is a historical figure, not a verified August 2026 price. Current Nware pricing and availability were not established here; check Nware’s official site before paying.
Readers comparing services should verify:
- Whether the service operates in their country and supports their device.
- Whether the desired game is listed for their region.
- Which entitlement is required—such as Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, a Microsoft account or a subscription.
- Plan limits, including queues, session lengths, resolution caps and priority access.
- Controller, keyboard, mouse, TV, browser and mobile compatibility.
- Cancellation, refund and account-linking rules.
Nware’s model should be distinguished from Microsoft’s own Xbox Cloud Gaming and Xbox Game Pass, which are integrated with Microsoft accounts and subscription entitlements. Other alternatives include Nvidia GeForce NOW, Boosteroid and Shadow PC; each has different supported games, ownership rules and plan economics.
The bottom line
Microsoft’s April 28, 2023 agreement with Nware was a meaningful 10-year licensing commitment, covering Xbox PC games and—if the acquisition closed—Activision Blizzard titles. It was designed partly to show regulators that rival cloud platforms could receive Microsoft content. It did not guarantee an immediate or complete catalog, did not satisfy the CMA’s original concerns by itself, and was later placed within a Ubisoft-centered rights structure after the acquisition was reworked.
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