It’s about time Microsoft woke up to the fact that they don’t own one, but two hardware markets out there. Since the dawn of the Xbox the software giant has been treating their platforms as completely separate, rarely allowing the two devices to act on the same playing field. No longer though, because you’ll now be able to purchase games across Windows 10 and Xbox One.
Microsoft has revealed cross-buy, which should be familiar to anyone who owns a PS3/4 and Vita. Sony first introduced the idea of purchasing a game once and enjoying it on their entire console family, and it seems Microsoft are throwing their hat into the ring too. Select games will be made available on both Xbox Live and the Windows Store, meaning you only have to purchase them once to enjoy them on PC or console. It’s not going to be a staple option for every game, much like Sony’s own program.
But it does mean that more first-party titles will start appearing on PC. In fact, Xbox head Phil Spencer suggested at GDC that the age of Xbox Exclusivity was coming to an end. He hinted at the possibility of most first-part titles coming to both Xbox One and PC as exclusives. Forget console exclusives, and think more about hardware families. Windows exclusives, if you will.
Spencer believes that Microsoft finally have a robust ecosystem to allow for unparalleled cross-hardware gaming, and with Windows 10 I’m certainly starting to believe it. Cross-buy, cross-play and streaming, it’s becoming increasing apparent that Microsoft wants you to buy into their Windows family, and not choose between console and PC any longer. That’s perfectly fine by me.
Last Updated: March 5, 2015
Admiral Chief
March 5, 2015 at 07:46
Watch this space, 2015/2016 MS is going to hit it out of the park.
Crossbuy, W10, DX12, streaming…
HvR
March 5, 2015 at 08:38
Dammit Pieter, logout and let the Admiral out of the closet.
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 09:01
I’m as baffled as you are……????
HvR
March 5, 2015 at 09:28
LOL, must say I’m also impressed with team MS.
They’ve have finally pulled their heads out of their asses to see the light.
Do not think we are going to see the 30% DX 12 performance outside of benchmarks (but everybody markets their products that way) and I’m praying that Windows 10 is more stable than Windows 8.
Mark Treloar
March 5, 2015 at 14:58
How is Windows 8 not stable?
e1ace
March 5, 2015 at 09:26
And then in small print…
“Feature not available in South Africa”
mannam13
March 5, 2015 at 10:12
NO! Somebody silence this man before his ideas are heard…
Mark Treloar
March 5, 2015 at 14:19
Ifs it like project Spark you just change your location to US and problem solved.
Admiral Chief
March 5, 2015 at 07:46
Finally I can play Gears of War!
FoxOneZA
March 5, 2015 at 09:01
On you EDE and PeeSee
Admiral Chief
March 5, 2015 at 07:47
Although, they are but a few steps away from Skynet…
Lord Chaos
March 5, 2015 at 08:20
Hmmm… Smart supreme AI rulers or continuing on the current path.
Spathi
March 5, 2015 at 08:40
You got it wrong. Google is Skynet. Want proof? Go and check how many AI and robotic companies they bought in the last few years. Google maps is but a navigation system for their robots. JOHN CONNOR WE NEED YOU!!
*Tinfoil hats engaged*
McDangerousZa
March 5, 2015 at 07:48
Forza on PC! *Holds thumbs*
Ranting Raptor
March 5, 2015 at 07:56
THIS
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 07:58
Hell YEA
Ranting Raptor
March 5, 2015 at 07:59
lol. You say yes but your profile pic says no 😛
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 10:55
Yea, it’s like the missus.
“Honey, can I go out with the boys?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry guys, I can’t make it”
But I really do like the idea of Forza on PC
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 11:52
Sigh. Yes. for me, chess club. Wife said I must go. I will enjoy. Half way through the year I stopped. Granted, she was pregnant, but going was her idea not mine. Stopping also hers………
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 12:19
Chess club? wow.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 12:33
Why chess club, wow? It is a game, like any other. When I was a child, sub 14, I played about 6 adult tournaments a year, in Pretoria. Enjoyed the crap out of it, but it takes a lot of effort to be truly good.
Now? Not so much…. But I still enjoy it. Just get my ass handed to me by players who study a lot.
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 12:59
No offense intended, I just didn’t think there is still such a thing.
I also used to play for the school chess club in primary school, used to be quite good actually, but then I became a teenager and priorities changed
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 13:15
Totally. A a child I had lessons, studied and loved the thrill of beating an adult the tourneys. But as a teenager, lost interest, Tennis and girls took over.
And you did not offend at all.
There are, every year, as when I was a child about 8 big-ish tournaments in Pretoria alone, with clubs and private people paying entrance fees. You are ranked nationally, with a rating. There are bigger ones, national ones and so forth.
Chess is extremely well run (from my basic participation level), on a national and international stage. MSSA has no say, as they try to have over board games.
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 13:20
Imagine MSSA were involved. Chess would become checkers.
I haven’t played a chess game in years.
I should brush up a bit and try online, and maybe later a tourny or two…
Oh the time constraints that is life 🙁
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 13:46
Tourneys are a real problem. Played ONE in 2012. Friday night 1 game. Saturday 3 games, Sunday 2 games. All games are 3 hours max, 1.5 hours per player. It is a big time investment AND your brain is fried by Saturday night. No way I can do that now, small child, wife, work pressure.
Came 8th out of 20 in the B section, first tourney since about 1990/1.
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 14:05
Not bad after +/-12 yrs. Doubt I’d even make the list.
And I raise your time constraint with 3x kids, pesky wife, peskier work and still trying to understand a psychometric chart during my spare time. 🙁
But ya, if all works out for me I’ll have plenty of time when I’m, oh, 60-65
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 14:31
3 kids. You win. Pesky wife, you might not win! psychometric chart? for why?
I am told, by people with older kids, how to get around this is to get the kids interested in it. Then, they play the kids section (or the adults section, if they still allow that) and you get to play as well, for the kids you see. For the kids.
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 14:46
My son has ADHD and the twins, well, they haven’t been diagnosed yet because they just won’t sit still long enough for a diagnoses. They’re all really smart, but bore very very quickly. So I don’t see them playing chess anytime soon.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 15:06
I have / had ADHD. You may be surprised at the chess thing. Your mind can run very rapidly, without your body going wild, in something like chess. Also, Bridge is a good game for the over-active mind. So many possibilities.
Focus, is all I can say. I was lucky in having a mother and a grandmother that constantly fed me information and stimulation, at my pace (super fast) and what I wanted. I sometimes fear my daughter (15 months) will be similar to me and I hope to keep only the good things adults did to / for me and remove the bad things from her life. What is the cliche, do not want turn into my parents?
Good luck.
My main problem in life is how quickly I bore. Super quick.
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 15:14
Same here with the ADHD. And the wife.
So it’s a very busy household. 😀
Focus is something I have learned, and my wife is still learning.
My son though, since the medication we have seen MAJOR improvement in school etc. but without the medication you can forget about it.
I also bore easily. How do you remedy it?
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 15:59
http://www.redhotpawn.com – chess website
Sign up and look for miaau, message me there? And play a game, take days or weeks over one game.
Sigh. Good question. I am not sure I know the answer.
I have extremely diverse interests and read a lot of different subjects, history and mythology mostly, which are extremely wide fields. A bit of science too, but I dislike maths.
Learning to relax is a problem. Mind wants to jump from one topic to another, gets super fast and then I become totally over stimulated. Sometimes, at night, it is important just to sit and focus on a thing, like playing a game or watching a thing on TV, BUT only that. Watching TV out the corner of your eye while checking mail and stuff? I find that a bit of a problem some nights, others no problem. Some night I sit and work, in the TV room. Sending mails, editing docs and watching TV. no problems.
Spaffy
March 5, 2015 at 16:14
Done. Just don’t be too hard on me, mkay?
My pc is pretty much the only thing that keeps me busy. But as I get older (I’m 30) even that is starting to bore me.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 16:21
Um, cannot find you by Spaffy. Message miaau?
And I can you about that.
“My pc is pretty much the only thing that keeps me busy. But as I get older (I’m 30) even that is starting to bore me.”
Lord Chaos
March 5, 2015 at 08:22
You have my thumbs. We’ll just need an axe.
Spathi
March 5, 2015 at 08:40
With full steering wheel support hopefully!
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 09:01
With Win 10 all PC controllers should also work on Xbox surely? ????. Remember the only adapter being made for Xbox One controllers to work on Win 10 PC’s are for bluetooth, no additional drivers necessary!
Matthew Holliday
March 5, 2015 at 09:22
“no additional drivers necessary!”
this is microsoft we’re talking about, their bluetooth drivers are not exactly stellar.
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 07:51
WOW, cross buy/play across PC/Xbox/Hololens & Windows Phones! ????????????
Ranting Raptor
March 5, 2015 at 07:55
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/038/a/4/3d_la_emoticon_by_thecospig-d3916o1.gif
Admiral Chief
March 5, 2015 at 07:57
Huehuehue dat gif!
ReaperOfSquirrels
March 5, 2015 at 08:22
Now all we need is CROSS PLAY! Someone make it happen.
K, thanx, bye.
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 08:23
So why do I need an XBOX if I have a PC?
Spathi
March 5, 2015 at 08:42
It’s the media centre component for your PC. For TV and the likes.
L337J1MB0B
March 5, 2015 at 08:44
TV TV TV!
Ranting Raptor
March 5, 2015 at 09:09
Just install XBMC. Media Center SORTED. Still no need for Xbone 🙂
Spathi
March 5, 2015 at 09:23
Yeah I use Plex and my trusty PS3. Works like a charm! Have tried XBMC as well but settled with Plex.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 12:45
UMS. Trust me.
Ranting Raptor
March 5, 2015 at 17:00
UMS?
bradymiaau
March 5, 2015 at 17:21
Universal media server, was ps3 media. Install and run, transcodes with no settings. Try it. Install and be running in few minutes, really
Ranting Raptor
March 5, 2015 at 19:21
Shall try it.
Ranting Raptor
March 6, 2015 at 08:09
So I checked it out. It’s pretty much just a lightweight media streamer. Cool enough but I dig XBMC as my media center because of the awesome GUI and all that.
Loftus
March 5, 2015 at 08:45
Microsoft admits defeat in the console wars, decides to my Xbox One an extra peripheral for the PC master race.
And in other news Crystal Dynamics gives biggest face palm in known history for backing the wrong pony with Tomb raider!
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 08:57
You really see this as a bad thing? You really don’t think this has always been the end game? As for Tomb Raider, it will now more than ever also be coming to PC guaranteed! Remember there’s only ever been one wrong pony to back, the Sony pony! Hehehe! But hopefully all 20+ million ponies will also fork out for a camera, move controller and Morpheus VR headset because that’s the pony Sony is betting everything on!
Loftus
March 5, 2015 at 09:09
hahaha yea man i’m just flinging poo, both ponies are vampires that only suck us dry! i actually like this idea Microsoft has (it makes sense).
Was just being stony because of Womb Raider! hahaha
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 08:52
Did you really buy a PS4 just because of Naughty Dog? Not all console players own PC’s, either by choice or due to affordability. Now with the legion of PC games and Apps being made available with cross buy/play functionality between PC/Xbox/Hololens/Win 10 Tablet & Phones, this basically nullify ever owning a PS4 as the potential library for Xbox just quadrupled in size! With Win10 & DirectX 12, porting between Xbox and PC will once again become the obvious, less labour intensive choice as was the case with the Xbox 360. If I were a PC gamer looking into buying a console or just a potentially new console buyer this cross buy/play functionality would make Xbox One the obvious choice! ????
FoxOneZA
March 5, 2015 at 09:02
20mil consoles sold. 20mil disappointments :p #indieStation
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:12
These days, indie games > AAA games.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 12:45
Really? But Indie games seem to me to a lot of platformers or ismoetric view bliksem them games. As we already established, not for me.
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:11
Hows it nullify owning a PS4 exactly? Also I bet more people own gaming PC’s than XBOX Ones. Oh and porting between XBOX and PC. Yeah that always works out well.
Hendrik
March 5, 2015 at 09:15
It actually incentives owning a PS4 and PC, because then you will be missing out on nothing. Whereas owning a PC AND Xbone will not make sense as they can both play each other’s games…
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:16
I wanted to get an XBOX because of Halo and Quantum break, but now I’d rather buy a WIIU.
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 09:57
Great! Just remember to still buy those games so MS can use those monies to keep the games coming and we’re all happy! The tendency today is to accept that console sales = profits but that’s not going to happen for a while in the console life cycle(Sony is living proof of that)! Software sales is where the $ at! If project Morpheus fails, I see Naughty Dog developing for PC and Xbox soon and a lot of pissed off ponies sitting with a Samsungstation…..
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 10:06
Right, so if all the monies are made from software sales why bother with a console?
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 10:23
To increase your software sales?
Spathi
March 5, 2015 at 09:28
This. This is exactly why I still have my PS3 and sold my Xbox, and in future will buy a PS4 and not a Xbox.
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 09:26
It nullifies owning a PS4 because I’m not going to buy it for one developer. It nullifies getting a PS4 for their console exclusives (SFV, No man’s Sky etc.), It nullifies PS4 because all those Indies they were getting up until now justifying the PS4 buy will probably come to Xbox One first with added cross play functionality. As Indie developers first choice and love will always be pc, you can also expect a lot more MS exclusives especially with ID@xbox being made available on all Win 10 platforms including phones and hololens. Sure, Sony might put out 2 or 3 excellent PS4 exclusives a year but buying a console just for that? A console that can’t even be used as a proper media centre in between those 3 releases? If you’re not going to also buy a camera, move controller and Morpheus VR, what else for?
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 10:00
Why do you keep hammering on one dev? There are others as well. Even if there is a lot of MS exclusives it’s all gonna come to PC anyway. Yes not all consoles gamers has PCs but I bet there are more PCs than consoles out there and do I really need a XBOX One for a media centre? No, not if you use something like XMBC for instance.
Jack
March 5, 2015 at 14:10
Because maybe the rest are shit ?
Destiny
THe order
the list goes on ring any bells ?
I didn’t own a ps3 for the exclusives why would I for this generation! (Which has less)
PC FTW 😀
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 14:25
Destiny isn’t bad, The Order yes. But there are lots of other good games
J_Joestar
March 5, 2015 at 18:04
destiny was exclusive?
FoxOneZA
March 5, 2015 at 09:03
To compare 900p to 4K?
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 09:23
So compare with the 1% then?
RinceThis
March 5, 2015 at 09:13
So… What would the point be in buying an Xbox One if all the games can be played on the Master Baters platform?
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:15
Exactly. Not all console players own PC’s. But not all PC gamers own consoles either.
RinceThis
March 5, 2015 at 09:16
Exactly my point.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 09:23
I own a laptop, a broken desktop and an Xbox one. Not including my wifes laptop (SSD disk, damn!). So not fast gaming PC, but a gaming laptop (2011 model top of the dell range) that can still play a bit. Do I need super hi res shadows when I play on my laptop in such a situation? Nah. It must be fun.
Hendrik
March 5, 2015 at 09:16
My thoughts as well, I think this may backfire somehow. All PC owners will now rather buy a PS4 to tap into the PS4 games because you can play the Xbone games now anyway
Matthew Holliday
March 5, 2015 at 09:18
actually, as a pc owner, i was considering buying an xbox, now that i wont have to, im not gna buy a PS4.
Matthew Holliday
March 5, 2015 at 09:17
console players will still buy consoles.
theres only one model, theyr cheaper, more reliable and more often than not, games are better optimised on console.
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 09:21
Console game is made for that consoles hardware, that graphics card.
I know what you can if you write the low level drivers for a CPU and peripherals. If you fully control the eco-system, that hardware is more fully utilised.
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:22
But they are saying these games can now be played for PC, so the port will be optimized as such?
Matthew Holliday
March 5, 2015 at 09:35
optmised for the OS, PC hardware will probably get the same amount of attention as it currently does, which is to say, none.
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:46
Agreed
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 11:51
But there are so many different combinations of PC hardware, graphics cards, vs chips, vs memory and bus speeds and all that. CPU makes too
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:18
Will we need XBOX Live Gold to play games online on PC?
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 09:20
Good question. Probably.
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:21
LOL good luck selling that to PC gamers.
Aries
March 5, 2015 at 09:45
Watch how they make their own tunnels for multiplayer
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:46
And they can, because you can do anything on PC
Pieter Kruger
March 5, 2015 at 09:29
Sigh, they’ve repeatedly and clearly stated that NO, you will not! *Runs and waits for 180……..
Hammersteyn
March 5, 2015 at 09:48
Sorry I don’t follow the XBOX news as much as I should. So now we have a choice between free MP or paying for MP as well?
DrKiller
March 5, 2015 at 09:33
Yeah, so now we need Xbox app, Steam, Origin, Blizzard’s thing, Ubisoft’s thing just to play games on PCs… Don’t we have enough??
Brady miaau
March 5, 2015 at 12:44
Good point
Viking Of Science
March 5, 2015 at 09:58
So All Ten people who’ve been like: We Want teh Haloz on PC will get their wish…..
Although TMCC would be appealing… Only for the Single player though. God Knows the multiplayer is broken as hell…
Matthew Holliday
March 5, 2015 at 10:17
screw halo
foooooooorrrrrrrrrzzzzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Mabenito
March 5, 2015 at 10:20
PC for Halo, Gears plus DLNA, and PS for the rest. Done. Thanks MS.
Futureman
March 5, 2015 at 11:28
So in short no need to buy a XBONE at all, so basically making it even more useless than it already is?
Tbone187
March 5, 2015 at 11:59
Why own an Xbox then? A gunshot just rang and I see MS hopping around on one leg.
CDJay
March 5, 2015 at 15:19
Maybe, just maybe, because the console wars are utterly pointless (who has the least lossy business model and art crippling platform) and in an attempt to win they’ve actually let Apple and Google kick the living crap out of their core businesses? Ignoring the PC gaming market and enthsiasts quite directly led to the rise of Apple as a serious player again. Who would you worry about more, if you were Microsoft. Go on, think on it. The Xbox One in and of itself is somewhat pointless. Windows 10 working across all platforms, getting them traction in mobile, isn’t. The Xbox One can be a part of that strategy, but not at the expense of the war worth winning
Ghost In The Rift
March 5, 2015 at 13:16
Wonder if there is cross-multiplayer, i’m on my PC and my brother on my x-box.
lygamnt
March 5, 2015 at 18:14
This news is most excellent. Microsoft is really kicking arse lately.