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[Knucklepux]

Play anywhere is a gimmick. It’s not a selling point. The % of people who are going to play a game on their console and then go “you know what? I think I’ll play a far more inferior version on my phone with touch controls”.

Xbox can’t even sell themselves in this regard. The average joe has no idea what the fuck they’re even talking about.

When they can figure out how to name their console, then I’ll feel like maybe they have a direction

The Microsoft bloodbath layoffs of 2025/2026 is going to be legendary

 

[adamsapple]

Why is MS even dependend on their approval? Why can't they change their Windows Store equivalent of Steam (and the underlying technologies) so that technically, an Xbox game is no longer different from a Windows game, meaning the Xbox binaries are 100% compatible with Windows and when you release an Xbox game, you effectively also release it for Windows?

They could do something like that for future hardware but as it is right now, it's two different SKU's of the game and essentially two different copies of the game for the price of one.

Play anywhere is a gimmick. It’s not a selling point. The % of people who are going to play a game on their console and then go “you know what? I think I’ll play a far more inferior version on my phone with touch controls”.

It's for the same game on console and the Win store version on PC.

 

[Knucklepux]

They could do something like that for future hardware but as it is right now, it's two different SKU's of the game and essentially two different copies of the game for the price of one.



It's for the same game on console and the Win store version on PC.

Again, the amount of people that will jump back and forth between their console and PC, is not an earth shaking amount. It’s a gimmick.

There is always going to be some anecdotal evidence to why this is a selling point… “well me and my friends like to play on our PC and then go to the couch to use the console while eating pizza rolls…”

It’s a gimmick that overall will negatively impact a developers desire to go with Xbox. If Microsoft thinks that a game being play anywhere will be enough sway someone to purchase said game in Xbox’s ecosystem, then it’s proof they are drowning and have no idea what they’re doing.

 

[coachmcguirk91]

Everybody thinks the handheld market is huge. Outside of the Switch, it really isn't. The Steam Deck has sold maybe 5mil? To act like there is a massive audience looking to play games on multiple devices is false

And developers want to sell their games multiple times. It is why nobody is opting in to Xbox's Play Anywhere strategy

 

[Astray]

Why is MS even dependend on their approval? Why can't they change their Windows Store equivalent of Steam (and the underlying technologies) so that technically, an Xbox game is no longer different from a Windows game, meaning the Xbox binaries are 100% compatible with Windows and when you release an Xbox game, you effectively also release it for Windows?

The problem is not technical in nature, that aspect has been thoroughly solved by now.

The issue is devs and publishers not wanting to essentially have to give 2 or more licenses to you for the price of one. A lot of this industry is based on double-dipping purchases, and losing that for no market-dictated reason is not going to be acceptable by the market players, big or small.

 

[Astray]

Everybody thinks the handheld market is huge. Outside of the Switch, it really isn't. The Steam Deck has sold maybe 5mil? To act like there is a massive audience looking to play games on multiple devices is false

And developers want to sell their games multiple times. It is why nobody is opting in to Xbox's Play Anywhere strategy

I mean the Switch itself is proof that this hybrid handheld market is massive.

Steam Deck didn't sell a ton, but Valve didn't lose its shirt trying to make it a big thing either. That's not something to be sneezed at either.

 

[Brakum]

Why in the world would these companies decide to lose out money by going with Play Anywhere functionality???

MS would have to pay some serious $$$$ for that to happen.

Microsoft should just openly blame them, like they did with sony when it came to crossplay. Yeah guys we really want you to not have to pay for the same game twice but those studios won't allow it, sorry.

Then let them deal with the outrage, unfortunately it affects a small minority of people so it's not gonna be a big deal for them. On the other hand, because it only affects a small minority anyway, those studios should do the right thing and already offer it. Lose a few $ for good PR.

 

[coachmcguirk91]

I mean the Switch itself is proof that this hybrid handheld market is massive.

Steam Deck didn't sell a ton, but Valve didn't lose its shirt trying to make it a big thing either. That's not something to be sneezed at either.

The Nintendo Wii sold 100mil in 6 years. And that was a generation of gimmick mediocrity from Nintendo. The Switch selling 150mil consoles in nearly 8 years shouldn't be seen as a shocking. The games are much better and they don't have the gimmicks of the Wii.

I'm not saying that the handheld didn't help sell the Switch, it clearly did, just not as much as people think. Nintendo games are also much easier to play on handheld, given the simplicity of most them

 

[ergem]

It will happen if the next xbox is just a PC on a fixed targeted hardware.

 

[Beechos]

More like watch the games sales collapse.

Which is why exclusives don't mean everything.

 

[adamsapple]

Again, the amount of people that will jump back and forth between their console and PC, is not an earth shaking amount. It’s a gimmick

Might be a gimmick on paper, but I have personally used it for numerous games, so when it works it works. But I can also clearly see why more publishers would not want to opt in.

 

[Knucklepux]

Might be a gimmick on paper, but I have personally used it for numerous games, so when it works it works. But I can also clearly see why more publishers would not want to opt in.

Again, there will always be anecdotal evidence for why it is worth it.

But to continue to see money poured into gimmicks is disheartening.

Might as well bundle a 3D tv with an Xbox now

 

[mayham2199]

If that was the case then ms can just dominate by pulling back all act and bethesda games and make them exclusive.

I can guarantee the console sales would increase. Now though it would take time because no one would believe them and it would take time to prove they aren’t going to change course again.

Again, the amount of people that will jump back and forth between their console and PC, is not an earth shaking amount. It’s a gimmick.

There is always going to be some anecdotal evidence to why this is a selling point… “well me and my friends like to play on our PC and then go to the couch to use the console while eating pizza rolls…”

It’s a gimmick that overall will negatively impact a developers desire to go with Xbox. If Microsoft thinks that a game being play anywhere will be enough sway someone to purchase said game in Xbox’s ecosystem, then it’s proof they are drowning and have no idea what they’re doing.

i think it’s a nice feather in their cap so to speak but I agree they need much more then that to get people into their ecosystem. Like you said not many will use it or even care. Not to mention their pc store is crap and has several games that aren’t even updated to the latest version so from that pov it’s kind of shit anyways.

It’s like Jez has said before they are pushing an idea that sounds great but isn’t fully realized and they are promoting it like it is.

 

[mckmas8808]

Thread title modified for length restrictions. Actual long ass title:

Until Xbox can get AAA studios and exciting indies to organically support 'Xbox Play Anywhere,' Microsoft's current gaming strategy will not pay off​

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Without exclusive games, Xbox customers deserve investment in exclusive features. Microsoft needs to display a bit more urgency.

Recently, I wrote an article about how it isn't exclusive games keeping me on Xbox Series X|S, but instead, the exclusive features the Xbox ecosystem has.

Over the holiday period, I found myself extensively immersed in Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection, which really represents the "This is an Xbox" vision better than most titles right now. Notably, Microsoft seems to have wound down its encompassing ecosystem ad campaign, with it vanishing from view entirely in recent weeks. You'd be forgiven for not knowing what I'm even talking about, given how quickly the campaign appeared and then disappeared, which in my opinion, shows a lack of conviction from Microsoft about some of their ecosystem pledges here.

Indeed, I wrote that the "This is an Xbox" campaign was premature. The marketing aimed to highlight that you can access Xbox games and services on any device, but I argued that suggesting someone can enjoy a full "Xbox experience" on their smartphone is borderline insulting. A vanishingly few portion of games on the Xbox store across PC and Xbox One, Series X|S support buy-once, play-anywhere features with cross-save, and fewer still support cloud.

With Xbox taking the focus off hardware more than ever, many pundits wonder if the gaming division is poised to go the way of Sega in years past. Is Xbox devolving into a video game publisher with no store ecosystem of its own, relying on other companies to distribute their games? I don't think things are quite that dire yet, but unless Microsoft does something to turbo charge the "unique" aspects of its ecosystem soon, I can't see the third-place player having much to offer the gaming landscape in the mid to long term.

What do Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Civilization 7 have in common?​

What do they all have in common? A complete lack of support for Xbox Play Anywhere.

Without exclusive games, exclusive "features" need to be as strong as possible​

Until Xbox can get AAA studios and exciting indies to organically support 'Xbox Play Anywhere,' Microsoft's current gaming strategy will not pay off

Without exclusive games, Xbox customers deserve investment in exclusive features. Microsoft needs to display a bit more urgency.

www.windowscentral.com

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Sometimes I feel like the Jez on twitter posting nonsense and the Jez writing the articles are two different people. Jez the writer often makes some good points.

I agree with Jez the writer here.

 

[SportsFan581]

Play Anywhere is fantastic when a game supports it, but I don't think all publishers will be eager to get onboard.

Given the state of things, I don't see how MS can even launch another console without building it on the back of the Windows Xbox store. If they stick with the traditional model it will be interesting to see how that launches.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Play anywhere is a gimmick. It’s not a selling point. The % of people who are going to play a game on their console and then go “you know what? I think I’ll play a far more inferior version on my phone with touch controls”.

Xbox can’t even sell themselves in this regard. The average joe has no idea what the fuck they’re even talking about.

When they can figure out how to name their console, then I’ll feel like maybe they have a direction

The Microsoft bloodbath layoffs of 2025/2026 is going to be legendary

I don't think you quite understand it.

I get both the pc and zbox version of ms first party games and also games like Yakuza. Metaphor etc

So i can play on the console, on.my pc. On my rog ally or gaming laptop etc

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

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Sometimes I feel like the Jez on twitter posting nonsense and the Jez writing the articles are two different people. Jez the writer often makes some good points.

Wow.. I opened this thinking it was the Twitter guy, but after reading some decided it must be some other Jez. Only to see at the end you confirm that they are the same guy.. wtf.

 

[Knucklepux]

I don't think you quite understand it.

I get both the pc and zbox version of ms first party games and also games like Yakuza. Metaphor etc

So i can play on the console, on.my pc. On my rog ally or gaming laptop etc

I do get it. My point is that you’re a minority in that regard. The % of people that will jump between platforms like that is tiny.

Most people game at home and then go to work or social life where gaming isn’t really an option or priority.

I’m not saying it’s not a cool feature, I’m saying that it can’t be your claim to fame and main driving point of your ecosystem. Again, it really wouldn’t appeal to most people who aren’t in the loop and on gaming forums