Microsoft Insists Play Anywhere Initiative For PC Wont Kill Xbox One Gaming
PC and console gamers have been at odds for decades. Microsoft, however, is attempting to broker a truce. The company insists that its “Play Anywhere” initiative for PC will not kill XBox One gaming.
Play Anywhere is a mechanism that would allow someone to purchase one copy of a game and have it playable on both the Xbox One and PC. The initiative was launched this past June ahead of the Windows 10 Anniversary update. Gamers can purchase games such as Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2 now. Ark: Survival Evolved, Gears of War 4, and Halo Wars 2 will be available later this year.
Some have argued that this move is the death knell for console exclusives, and even consoles themselves. Xbox Executive Director Albert Penello argued that this simply is not true. He noted that people play on all of their devices -- even diehard console and PC fans play on multiple platforms. He remarked, “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.”
Initiatives like Play Anywhere are about making more games available to more people. Penello insisted, “Giving PC guys the opportunity to play Quantum Break and Killer Instinct doesn't really take anything away from the console guys. It just gives more people a chance to play great games on the device they want to play on.”
Play Anywhere is not Microsoft’s only attempt at cross-platform gaming. The company recently announced that the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Cube would be the first PC with XBox Wireless integration built in, without the need for a USB dongle. The system launches this October with a starting price of $1,299.
