If you’ve been holding off on an Xbox One because PC gaming is just too good to pass up, Microsoft has yet another offer to help bridge the world of PC gaming with the Xbox One. While we previously knew about Xbox Live and Xbox social apps being made available on Windows 10, what you probably didn’t expect was cross-buy support.
According to an article on Gamespot, Microsoft has some strong plans to include cross-buy support across Windows 10 operating systems and the Xbox One.
The incentive is that if you buy a game on one platform or the other, so long as you’re logged into that account, you’ll have access to that game on the platform. However, this is limited to certain games – basically only titles that are released on Windows 10 and the Xbox One, such as Pinball FX 2. If an Xbox One exclusive doesn’t make the leap to Windows 10 PCs, then it’s not going to be available to play on a Windows 10 PC. However, there is still the remote-streaming option if you own both a Windows 10 PC and an Xbox One.
The new function shared between both platforms won’t be a standard mandated feature; the article notes that Spencer has left the option up to developers on when cross-buy will be made available.
Sony has already utilized the cross-buy feature for their PlayStation brand of consoles and handheld devices. This makes the purchasing decisions a lot easier for those teetering on the fence about whether or not they want to make the jump to eighth gen or stick with seventh gen. Having the ability to buy on one platform and have it carry over to the next gives consumers confidence for an expanded library on their platforms, even if it’s at the expense of backwards compatibility.
Game Informer is also reporting that the Xbox One controller will be usable as a wireless device on Windows 10 PCs soon with a new wireless adapter. At the moment you can use an Xbox One controller on PC using a wired cable adapter.
Additionally, the Game Informer article notes that all new accessories approved and made for the Xbox One will also share compatibility with Windows 10 systems.
Given Microsoft’s penchant for giving so much love to the PC gaming audience, one might assume that they have genuine intentions of reviving their efforts to put PC gaming on a pedestal. However, we all remember how that worked out with Games For Windows Live, right?
