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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Microsoft’s April 11, 2023 announcement was a 10-year commitment to expand its Xbox relationship with UK mobile carrier EE into cloud gaming. It was not a launch notice for a new EE streaming service: the announcement gave no EE-specific game list, start date, standalone price or promise that every Activision Blizzard game would be available. Microsoft later said its existing obligations to EE remained in place after it restructured the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
What Microsoft and EE announced
On April 11, 2023, Microsoft said it was expanding its existing partnership with EE through a 10-year cloud-gaming agreement. Xbox chief Phil Spencer described the aim as bringing Xbox games—and, if Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard went through, Activision Blizzard PC games—to EE customers. Thurrott’s report of the announcement set out the agreement’s duration and intended scope.
The wording matters: Microsoft announced a distribution commitment, not a fully specified consumer product. The announcement did not identify a complete EE catalog, launch date, separate EE cloud-gaming app, qualifying tariff or standalone price. It also did not say every EE customer would receive cloud gaming at no extra cost.
How this differed from EE’s existing Xbox offers
EE already offered ways to add an Xbox Series X|S console or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to a monthly plan, so the 2023 deal extended an established commercial relationship rather than introducing Xbox to EE customers for the first time. The announcement did not explain exactly how the new cloud-distribution commitment would change those offers.
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EE’s later Xbox gaming-bundle terms dated August 8, 2025 describe Game Pass Ultimate as including console and Windows PC Game Pass access and cloud gaming on compatible mobile devices. They also say content-app use may count against a customer’s inclusive mobile data allowance. Those terms explain a later bundle, but do not establish that it was the specific consumer implementation promised in 2023.
What games were meant to be covered
Microsoft’s announcement referred to Xbox games and intended access to Activision Blizzard PC games after the acquisition. That should not be read as a confirmed EE catalog or a promise that every Activision, Blizzard and King title would be streamable on every EE plan. The public announcement did not name a full list of EE-supported games or specify when individual titles would become available.
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Microsoft discussed Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard PC games in the context of its broader cloud-partner strategy. Those announcements involved multiple providers and are not evidence that those games launched through EE. For example, Microsoft’s Nvidia partnership announcement described a separate 10-year arrangement, while its later GeForce NOW update discussed games for that service.
Why the deal mattered during the Activision Blizzard review
Microsoft was pursuing several 10-year cloud-distribution agreements as regulators examined its proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. The agreements served a commercial purpose—extending Xbox content beyond Microsoft hardware and reaching customers through other platforms and networks—and supported Microsoft’s argument that the deal could broaden consumer choice in cloud gaming.
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- GAME PASS ULTIMATE: Play new games on day one, and enjoy hundreds of high-quality games on console, PC, and cloud. Game Pass Ultimate also includes online console multiplayer, EA Play, and other great member benefits.
- SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: From fast-paced action and adventure to timeless classics, family-friendly games, innovative indie titles, brain-teasing puzzles, immersive roleplaying adventures, and intense shooters. Dive into a world where every gamer can find their next favorite game.
- NEW GAMES ON DAY ONE: Enjoy incredible new games on day one from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, Activision Blizzard, and more. Play The Outer Worlds 2, NINJA GAIDEN 4, and High on Life 2 as soon as they are released.
- ONLINE CONSOLE MULTIPLAYER: Tap into the heart of the Xbox community and join millions of players ready to play together. Online console multiplayer is included with Game Pass Ultimate.
- EA PLAY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED: Jump into Battlefield, STAR WARS, and other great game franchises with EA Play. Included at no extra cost, members get access to a collection of EA’s best-loved games, in-game rewards, and trials of select new games.
Microsoft explicitly framed its Nvidia partnership as a way to expand access and address concerns about the acquisition. The EE agreement fit that wider strategy by adding a UK carrier relationship, but the announcement did not disclose financial terms or show how many customers would use it.
How the acquisition and cloud rights later changed
Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard on October 13, 2023, as Xbox announced that day. The completion did not mean Activision Blizzard games automatically appeared in an EE cloud catalog; availability still depended on the relevant service, rights and implementation.
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Before the acquisition closed, Microsoft restructured the transaction in response to the UK regulatory process. Under the revised arrangement, Ubisoft received cloud-streaming rights for current and future Activision Blizzard PC and console games released over the following 15 years; Microsoft described those rights as perpetual. Microsoft also said it would retain rights needed to meet European commitments and existing contracts, and that its obligations to cloud providers including EE remained in place. Those details appear in Microsoft’s explanation of the restructured acquisition.
The preservation of EE’s contractual obligations is significant, but it does not establish which Activision Blizzard titles EE customers could stream at a particular date. Cloud-distribution rights are also distinct from a customer’s entitlement to play a game: a service may require a subscription or another qualifying game entitlement. Microsoft’s streaming-rights FAQ explains the distinction between cloud streaming and downloading games.
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- DISCOVER 50+ GAMES — Explore a curated library of more than 50 games playable across XBOX consoles, PC, and supported devices, with new favorites ready to discover.
- PLAY ACROSS YOUR FAVORITE DEVICES — Enjoy included games across supported XBOX consoles, PC, and other compatible devices for more ways to play wherever you are.
- PLAY TOGETHER ONLINE — Connect with friends and communities with online console multiplayer included with XBOX Game Pass Essential.
- STREAM WITH XBOX CLOUD GAMING — Enjoy up to 5 hours of cloud playtime per month and stream supported games to compatible devices with XBOX Cloud Gaming.
- EARN REWARDS WHILE YOU PLAY — Earn Rewards points by playing games, completing eligible activities, and shopping in the Store with your XBOX Game Pass membership.
What EE customers should check before signing up
The 10-year agreement itself does not tell a customer whether a current EE offer suits them. Check the live offer and its terms for the details that determine actual access:
- Whether Game Pass Ultimate is included, discounted or sold separately, and which EE tariff qualifies.
- Whether eligibility depends on being a new customer, upgrading or choosing a particular device.
- Whether the game you want supports cloud streaming in the UK and what subscription or game entitlement it requires.
- Whether your phone or other device is compatible, and whether you need a controller for the games you play.
- Whether your location has a reliable 5G or Wi-Fi connection. Cloud gaming is sensitive to latency, congestion and signal quality.
- Whether streaming over mobile data counts against your allowance, and what happens to any gaming benefit if your EE contract ends.
- Whether bundling mobile service and gaming costs less for you than buying the connectivity and gaming subscription separately.
A carrier bundle can put mobile service and gaming benefits on one bill, and cloud play can be useful when you do not have a console or gaming PC. The trade-offs are that mobile streaming uses data, performance depends on the connection, catalogs can change, and a bundle may cost more than separate services. The 2023 partnership commitment does not guarantee permanent access to any particular game.
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