Microsoft reconnects with PC gamers through Xbox Play Anywhere

Scalebound is one of the upcoming titles for Xbox and Windows 10. Image captured from Xbox E3 Presentation.

Microsoft dished out a lot of announcements during E3 which included new games, new hardware, and software updates. But the most attention grabbing is their decision to merge Xbox and PC gaming under the “Xbox Play Anywhere” initiative.

According to Geek, many PC gamers will be thrilled by this development. Games like Gears of War, Forza, Halo Wars 2 and more will no longer be listed to Microsoft’s gaming console.

This decision is in line with Xbox chief Phil Spencer’s goal of giving more attention to PC gaming. Cross-play between PC and console users has not yet been confirmed but it is a good possibility moving forward.

Despite the merits, skeptics of Microsoft’s decision say that having Xbox games available to PC might make the console redundant. A simple PC upgrade could equal the cost of an Xbox One unit. However, it is also a fact that it takes some technical knowhow to fiddle with a gaming rig and not everyone has the patience for it. In these cases, the console still provides an easy, plug-and-play solution to scratch the gaming itch.

It’s still too early to say that this move of unifying two gaming platforms will increase market share for Microsoft but it certainly has good potential. Alfred Bayle