Xbox One: Microsoft Wants Cross-Platform Play Enabled for Consoles

Have you heard? Looks like something finally clicked for Microsoft because they’re looking to cross platforms with Sony (PS4 to XBone) via online gaming as well as with PC (specifically Windows 10) gamers.

Here’s a little more info according to sources:

Microsoft has announced it will natively support cross-platform play between Xbox One, Windows 10, and other “online multiplayer networks.” The move effectively opens the Xbox Live platform so that it can accommodate players on Sony’s PlayStation Network, among others.

They also mentioned that Chris Charla, director of ID@Xbox, said “it’s up to game developers to support this feature” and noted that players will “always have the option of choosing to play only with other Xbox Live players.”

This is an absolutely splendid, prolonged idea that was waiting to happen but egotists (ahem, Xbox staff) kept blocking the idea. As far as I’m concerned, PS4 has been open to the idea way before this. Maybe the Xbox team was waiting for the “right time”, whatever that might be. Your thoughts?

Microsoft plans to fuse Windows 10 OS to Xbox One

It’s confirmed, sometime in the future Microsoft will be meshing the Windows 10 operating system into the Xbox One console. What’s the purpose? Sharing applications across devices and platforms, of course.

This could be a good move on Microsoft’s part. Except, according to the head of team Xbox, Phil Spencer assured that the games platform wouldn’t be compromised by enterprise-centric and desktop-focused applications. Mr. Spencer did have something to say as well:

We won’t see people using Excel on the Xbox, but Microsoft is making it easier to port experiences from PC over to Xbox where they make sense…

We’ll treat gaming on Windows 10 with the same passion as we’ve put into the Xbox console.

That’s basically all that was said. There are no details as to how Windows 10 will operate nor how interactive it will be. Sigh.

However, Phil Spencer did mention more details will be available this March, during the Games Developer’s Conference.

On a side note, in case you don’t know, here’s some facts about Windows 10 OS. You will be able to stream Xbox One games. Also, if you’re a customer and own Windows 7 and up, you can get Windows 10 for free but only for the first year. This also applies to you Windows phone owners. Lastly Cortana, Microsoft’s voice-activated personal assistant, will be available on Windows 10 for PC.

Stay tuned for more soon.