Microsoft signs a 10-year deal with Boosteroid to bolster their Activision Blizzard deal

Microsoft has signed a 10-year deal that will bring Xbox PC games to Boosteroid’s Cloud Gaming Platform

After signing deals with both Nintendo and Nvidia, Microsoft has confirmed that they have signed yet another 10-year deal that has committed them to bringing games to the Boosteroid cloud gaming platform. This deal commits Microsoft to bringing Xbox PC games to Boosteroid’s cloud gaming service for ten years, and will ensure that games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard are playable from multiple cloud gaming services.

Boosteroid is a PC cloud gaming service that currently has over four million users, making it the largest independent cloud gaming provider in the world. The service is a rival to Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming platform, having operated since 2017 from Ukraine. 

Despite the war in Ukraine, and having had their offices in Kyiv and Kharkiv damaged by Russian missile attacks, Boosteroid has continued to improve their cloud gaming services, revealing plans to offer their services on Mac, Chromebooks, Android set-top boxes and LG TVs in addition to browser and app-based support for Windows, Linux, Android, Android TV and the macOS that already exist.

In addition to Ukraine, Boosteroid offers its services to customers in the United States, United Kingdom and countries across the European Union. The cloud gaming provider currently has servers in six US states, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine and Serbia.

   Microsoft Corp. and Boosteroid on Tuesday announced a 10-year agreement to bring Xbox PC games to Boosteroid’s cloud gaming platform. Boosteroid, which has its software development team in Ukraine, recently surpassed 4 million users globally and has become the largest independent cloud gaming provider in the world. The agreement will also enable Activision Blizzard PC titles to be streamed by Boosteroid customers after Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard closes.

When combined with other partnerships recently announced by Microsoft, this means popular franchises such as “Call of Duty” will surpass more than 150 million additional players, and make games built by Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard playable on multiple cloud gaming services and subscriptions.

“We believe in the power of games to bring people together. That’s why Xbox is committed to give everyone more ways to play their favorite games, across devices,” said Phil Spencer, CEO of Gaming, Microsoft. “Bringing Xbox PC games to Boosteroid members, including Activision Blizzard titles such as ‘Call of Duty’ once the deal closes, is yet another step in realizing that vision.”

Should Microsoft acquire Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s plan for the company is to distribute their games as widely as possible. This includes plans to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms, and making sure that Call of Duty is available on as many places as possible (through cloud gaming services). Microsoft has no intention to make Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive title, as doing so would devalue Call of Duty as an assent and prevent Microsoft from getting a return on their investment after acquiring Activision Blizzard. 

Microsoft’s 10-year deal with Boosteroid confirms Microsoft’s intention to make their games as broadly available as possible, and reconfirms their commitment to maintaining Call of Duty as a multi-platform franchise. That said, it remains to be seen if regulators will approve Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. 

You can join the discussion on Microsoft’s 10-year deal with Boosteroid on the OC3D Forums.