Gaming tech and eSports company Emerge Gaming (ASX: EM1) is set to gain access to mass distribution having been appointed by Microsoft as an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) which will secure access to industry-leading technology and new customers in 61 countries. 

The partnership will enable Emerge Gaming to access Microsoft’s hardware services which drive modern gaming where cloud services have become crucial to the development of online gaming as a streaming service by increasing bandwidth capacity, similar to how Netflix operates.

“The future of gaming is the streaming of immersive and interactive high-quality 3D graphic content delivered in high definition video and with 5.1 surround sound to smartphones, tablets and smart TVs. No downloads, no hardware and no patches,” said Emerge Gaming CEO, Gregory Stevens.

“Developing the game cloud streaming with Microsoft as a partner gives Emerge an advantage of scalable access to hardware to deliver high quality streaming services to the end user.

“To add to this, with Microsoft we have demonstrated that a more affordable price offering to the end user is feasible.”

As a Microsoft ISV partner, Emerge Gaming can eliminate the need for investment in servers and infrastructure of their games while also gaining a scalable solution for mass uptake of their games.

Usage of Microsoft’s infrastructure will work on a pay-as-you-use basis for Emerge Gaming, having ISV status will also enable them to operate game cloud streaming on Microsoft’s Azure servers. Azure PlayFab software is common amongst the world’s leading gaming platforms where consoles Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo Switch operate on it, as well as smartphone mobile devices.

While ISV status will gain access to a significant market of new gamers for Emerge Gaming, the Company’s primary customers will be business partners, targeting mobile network operators and PayTV providers in emerging markets.

Due to any commercial value being dependent on an update, Emerge Gaming was not able to determine any material impact on the partnership but is working with Microsoft to elevate its ISV partnership to a formal co-sell status.

The partnership does not have any direct impact on Emerge Gaming’s development of MTN Arena, a mobile gaming platform in South Africa, which it launched in June and has already surpassed 10,000 users.