Who else totally called it? Microsoft is all about Windows 10 tonight, but there was a little time for Xbox boss Phil Spencer to talk bout how the new operating system will affect PC gaming, and more importantly Xbox One gaming. And it’s about bloody time that Xbox and PC gamers are finally going to be able to play online with each other.
Using Fables Legends as an example (which is coming to PC as well now), Microsoft revealed a new feature that will be available on Windows 10: cross-platform play. Phil Spencer was able to join a co-op game of Fable via the PC, while the other player ran the game on Xbox One. Right now this is the only game with this functionality confirmed, but since it’s embedded in the OS it could reach every single game on both platforms.
But Spencer wasn’t done there. What about playing Xbox One games on PC? That’s now possible thanks to Windows 10 as well, with the Xbox One able to stream every single game to any Windows 10 device over a network. That includes PCs, tablets and phones, which gives an unreal amount of flexibility to your streaming options – especially since nearly everyone is on Windows in some capacity.
All of these features will become available when Windows 10 launches on both PC and Xbox One.
Update: Microsoft has confirmed that streaming will only work on one device at a time, and only via WiFi on a local network. Microsoft has also stated that games will have to specifically support the feature.
Last Updated: January 21, 2015
blzzy_gie
January 21, 2015 at 21:16
Amazing, streaming Xbox One games and being able to play them any other windows 10 device.
The cross platform play between Xbox One and PC they also revealed the new Fable is using DirectX 12 on Xbox One.
The VR headset has it’s own CPU, GPU and CUSTOM hologram chip also eye detection. Other VR headsets have just been left behind.
Brady miaau
January 22, 2015 at 10:36
I would not mind that at all. Play on laptop, while TV is used for other
rumblefsh81
January 21, 2015 at 21:22
Nighty night sony…no need for my ps4 anylonger.
Jonah Cash
January 22, 2015 at 06:45
Hahahaha!! Yeah right!! What about the Sony exclusives bud? And you can stream your PS4 to the Experia and the Vita….
Also why the hell would I stream a game that I can play on my 55″ Samsung TV to anything smaller than that?
mannam13
January 22, 2015 at 09:43
You would need to have an Xperia or Vita to do that… Most people don’t have either and many more people have a Windows PC or laptop. This means that Xbox streaming is open to 10 times more people (guesstimate) than Playstation streaming is, which could sway people to buying an Xbox. In a couple years time we’ll be talking about Sony needing to play catch up.
Jonah Cash
January 22, 2015 at 13:19
But you still haven’t answered my question. Why would you stream away from your 55″ to your 20-25″ monitor?
mannam13
January 22, 2015 at 23:01
Somebody may be wanting to watch TV? Or your TV is in the lounge and you’d like to continue your game in bed or from the bottom of your garden? So many reasons why streaming would be awesome!
Jonah Cash
January 23, 2015 at 10:30
I have two TV’s!! One in my lounge and one in my braai room!! And I don’t game in bed, my couch is way more comfortable!!
mannam13
January 21, 2015 at 21:45
Bought an Xbox One and a Lumia 930 with the faintest hope of this in the back of my mind. Move over Sony/Apple/Android, we’ve got a proper ecosystem on our hands and I’m thankful to be a part of it.
Gustav Minnie
January 21, 2015 at 22:09
Teasing me with that Battletoad tshirt is just wrong.
Show us something Philly we know MS acquired the trademark…. c’mon man.
minhin
January 21, 2015 at 22:52
What’s the bandwidth requirement?
umfezo
January 22, 2015 at 09:30
I also wondered this. Does your speed matter? I mean, you’re not really downloading or uploading anything via the internet are you? So what determines the quality of the stream? Excuse my ignorance 😀
minhin
January 22, 2015 at 10:48
I re-read it, towards the end “local network” via wifi only.
Aries
January 22, 2015 at 01:07
Cross play could have just one upped Sony big time, Sony must now ma make their own PC OS, but gaming focused, that would be something
mannam13
January 22, 2015 at 09:38
Steam OS. I don’t see any other entirely gaming focused OS making sense. Although, I thought the iPad was a bad idea so I don’t have much prediction credibility.
Gavin Mannion
January 22, 2015 at 06:14
I’ll only be impressed if they finally allow cross play for games like Battlefield and Call of Duty..
How they are going to handle the fariness of that has always been the major issue
Spy Master Tokashi
January 22, 2015 at 07:09
That is the developer’s responsibility. As they state, MS gives the feature but now the developers need to implement it.
I like the idea because games like FIFA will make it possible to play against a bigger network.
This feature opens so many opportunities for gaming and I really hope they use this.
This makes it even harder to decide on what console to get. Sony exclusives are a lot better than XBOX One but this man oh man
Admiral Chief
January 22, 2015 at 08:06
Yeah, with auto aim removed, the xbox guys are at a severe disadvantage
Ghost In The Rift
January 22, 2015 at 08:07
Now i dont know what to get, THE CHOICES!!!!!!
Blood Emperor Trevor
January 22, 2015 at 08:11
Now that’s pretty cool. I’ve always considered the PS4 the better proposition, but if I was in the market for a console this would sway me to the bone.
HairyEwok
January 22, 2015 at 08:32
Whoop Whoop. Now i can officially buy myself a PS4 and not worry about the exclusives on Xbone.
RinceThis
January 22, 2015 at 09:11
Game changer?
MakeItLegal
January 22, 2015 at 09:54
🙂 i love competitive business it makes me ( consumer ) win , MS eco system is looking nice , nokia lumina 930 upgrade for me
Matthew Holliday
January 22, 2015 at 10:25
the 930 is pretty tempting, but I havent been happy with my 925s wifi usage, so Ive been on the fence about the upgrade.
although it might just be my router, not sure.
Brady miaau
January 22, 2015 at 13:55
We have no issues with out router, but wife has 920. She uses it a LOT, 95% wifi, from home.
Matthew Holliday
January 22, 2015 at 10:24
so I’d still need to buy an Xbone and an xbox copy of forza to play it on my PC?
bleak =/
Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit
January 22, 2015 at 11:59
Dammit, I just bought a PS4 man. Since when is MS making good business decisions?! What the hell gahdammit! Now I have to have both!
Well-played MS… well-played.
http://img0.joyreactor.com/pics/post/full/steam2-sale-wallet-money-878253.jpeg