At E3 this year, Microsoft announced a new initiative that brings its first party games to PC alongside the Xbox One. Called Play Anywhere, the service gives those who buy digital copies of (mostly first party) Xbox One games a free code for the PC version. The PC versions of said games will also be available for those who favour that platform to buy separately.
For many, it’s left them wondering just why in the hell Microsoft would make the Xbox One redundant. They’re not. From my perspective, they’re laying the groundwork to leverage Xbox as a service, rather than a platform, and it’s something that could work out pretty well for them over the long term. Especially given their plans to end the traditional console cycle.
Still, there are many – especially dyed-in-the-wool Xbox Fans – who believe that Microsoft is giving up on the Xbox. Speaking on the latest Xbox-focused Inner Circle podcast (via Gamespot), Microsoft’s Albert Penello said that that’s just not true.
“There’s a debate or a discussion that you can have with a certain type of people online and you want to argue details and argue nuance, but the reality is that most people don’t make that kind of choice,” Penello said of people who don’t buy games just because they’re out on another platform as well.
“Today, if you play games, you’re playing games on just about everything you own,” he said. “You’re playing games on your phone, you’re playing games on your console when you want to lay back in front of that big TV, and you’re playing PC games when you want that keyboard and mouse, up-close, highly customized kind of experience. Even guys that are diehard console gamers, we know they play on their phone and PC.”
It’s about giving people the choice to play games on the platforms they want to play on. And that sounds like good business sense to me.
“So to me, the idea that you’re bringing games to the PC suddenly means that people don’t want consoles anymore…it doesn’t ring true to how gamers really behave,” Penello added.
“Giving PC guys the opportunity to play Quantum Break and Killer Instinct doesn’t doesn’t really take anything away from the console guys,” he explained. “It just gives more people a chance to play great games on the device they want to play on.”
Last Updated: August 24, 2016
Admiral Chief
August 24, 2016 at 08:12
[Insert thing here] as a service is really big these days, I can see that it might work for them
iusedtobe(a)regular
August 24, 2016 at 08:15
I think its more a case of Sony forcing their hand.
Pieter Kruger
August 24, 2016 at 08:19
Going the service route, rather make online play on Xbox free as on pc, but offer both a paid premium Games with Gold service guaranteeing quality & AAA games (get users to vote on free games, maybe even combine said service with EA Access?)
Kromas GG
August 24, 2016 at 08:34
You can keep your shoddy ports TYVM.
Call me when ported games actually work well on PC. (ME1 is a shining example of a port done extremely well)
BakedBagel
August 24, 2016 at 11:37
Mad Max is an excellent port
Kromas GG
August 25, 2016 at 08:24
It was an okay port. The bugs and the slightly wonky control scheme stopped it a bit for me.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 24, 2016 at 08:42
I like choices, choices are good.
Explains why die-hard consolers are upset though.
iusedtobe(a)regular
August 24, 2016 at 08:52
Surly you mean die-hard xbox “consolers”, right?
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 24, 2016 at 09:09
Nah, all of them. I’m sure there will be tears from some ponies about PS Now coming to PC.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
August 24, 2016 at 10:10
According to their site it’s available in the US,UK,Belgium and Netherlands and maybe more 1st world countries and only PS3 games are available for streaming. Not sure why I should be crying
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 24, 2016 at 12:06
Maybe you shouldn’t if you’re not one of the people I was referring to?
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
August 24, 2016 at 12:56
Maybe I should because I play on console
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 24, 2016 at 13:05
Whatever makes you happy.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
August 24, 2016 at 13:50
Crying does 😛
iusedtobe(a)regular
August 24, 2016 at 22:24
You will be hard pressed to find PS gamer upset, not with the super heavyweight lineup of exclusives rolling out throughout the next year. Reckon some PC gamers will do the crying.
miaau
August 24, 2016 at 08:58
Price of games springs to mind. Although, I will need a, at a guess, R20k PC to save 50% odd on a new game purchase.
choice is important, though. for example, If I buy a game on Windows 10 PC and I later that year buy an Xbox One, can I play the game interchangeably? That is a quagmire of pricing………..
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 24, 2016 at 09:12
Far as I understand it, PC version only gets code for PC, while Xbox version gets code for Xbox & PC. Which is perfectly fine as far as I’m concerned.
Dane
August 24, 2016 at 09:00
I can’t help but convince myself that they’re just using tacky “for the people!” beliefs to front a business model. I mean it’s cool but “It just gives more people a chance to play great games on the device they want to play on” is probably not the line that convinced the Mr. Bigshots to go through with it. /s
Darren Peach
August 24, 2016 at 10:17
Makes you wonder if this is all just an attempt to profit from the online gaming sector of the PC market. Pay to play against others when it used to be free……kinda like DLC.
The Order of the Banana
August 24, 2016 at 10:41
Lol!
BakedBagel
August 24, 2016 at 11:37
2005
EXCLUSIVES WILL BE THE FUTURE
2016
LMFAO ITS NOT WORKING
Peter Pan
August 24, 2016 at 12:44
I tend to agree with what is said in this article. I think everyone can acknowledge that consoles are here to stay. They have been instrumental in growing gaming, and I applaud them. If you have always been a console player, I think you will continue to be a console player, even if the same games are released on the Windows platform. Even if you have a top-of-the-range PC, if you’e always played on consoles, you will continue to play on consoles. Some habits are hard to break.