The end of the Microsoft Activision deal is a landmark moment for Xbox players, as franchises like Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and more are welcomed in by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. Acting as mediator between Microsoft and Activision is Ubisoft, as part of the CMA’s new deal. Now, the developer details plans to bring Activision games to Ubisoft+.
Senior vice president Chris Early clarifies that the deal allows “Ubisoft to bring Activision Blizzard games like Call of Duty to Ubisoft+, as well as license the streaming access of these games to cloud gaming companies, service providers and console makers.” Expanding on that point, Early explains it encapsulates “all the Activision Blizzard games that are being distributed today and includes all the games that Activision Blizzard will release over the next 15 years.”
Alongside the inclusion of some of the best FPS games across PS5 and Xbox, Early confirms these games will “include all the DLC, including in-game content and downloadable DLC packs, expansions, and add-ons.” Work to bring Activision games to Xbox Game Pass is already underway, and the same applies to Ubisoft’s subscription service, too.
Early states that Ubisoft is “already working with partners around the world to distribute Ubisoft+ and our slate of games, so adding Activision Blizzard games to that is easier than starting from scratch somewhere and building a completely new service.” Currently, Ubisoft+ subscribers can access touchstone franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs, The Division, and new titles like The Crew Motorfest as part of their subscription. In most cases, new games are available from launch date.
Regarding the availability of Activision titles once they are added to Ubisoft+, Early provides context on retaining the rights to games is handled: “Our expectation is that they will be on Ubisoft+, and then we have the rights to be able to license them individually to companies […] all the games that are coming from Activision Blizzard in the next 15 years and those games that exist now, we have those streaming rights in perpetuity.”
However, it will be some time before players can reap the benefits of the Microsoft Activision deal. “We need to make sure that the back end fully supports the experience we want players to have,” adds Early. With the deal finalized, he clarifies that “the operational element can begin to kick off.”
Ubisoft+ isn’t included with your Xbox Game Pass subscription, but PS Plus members can access Ubisoft+ Classics through their PS4 and PS5 consoles. In lieu of Activision games arriving soon, you can check out the full list of PS Plus Extra and Premium games, as well as the best Xbox Game Pass games available right now.