In recent years, Microsoft’s Xbox brand has embraced a strategy centered around multiplatform game releases, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. During a recent interview with Game File’s Stephen Totilo, Phil Spencer, head of Xbox and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, shared insights into the company’s future direction regarding game accessibility.
Commitment to Multiplatform Accessibility
When asked about the possibility of PC-only game releases becoming a standard practice for Microsoft, Spencer clarified that the three upcoming titles—Ara: History Untold, Towerborne, and the World of Warcraft expansion The War Within—are not indicative of a larger trend. He referred to these instances as anomalies, emphasizing the company’s overarching goal: “We want our games playable across as many screens as possible.”
Spencer elaborated on the vision for the Xbox platform, which encompasses the Xbox console, PC, and cloud gaming. He stated, “We want all the games playable across all of those. We want them to be Play Anywhere.” This commitment underscores Microsoft’s dedication to creating a seamless gaming experience across different devices.
He further explained the reasoning behind the current PC exclusivity of the World of Warcraft DLC, noting that it aligns with the nature of the game itself. Additionally, the developer Stoic has opted to keep Towerborne on PC until it exits Early Access. As for Ara: History Untold, Spencer mentioned that the decision to initially limit its release to PC was aimed at simplifying the development process, while reaffirming that it will eventually be available on Xbox Series X|S.
Another key aspect of this strategy is the Xbox Play Anywhere feature, which allows gamers to purchase titles on one platform and access them on another, provided they use the same Microsoft account. Spencer acknowledged that not all content currently supports this feature, citing discussions with developers about specific titles, such as the Diablo 4 DLC Vessel of Hatred.
“But we want to get to the point where, when you buy, whether you’re buying on cloud — which we’re getting ready to introduce — buying on PC and buying on console, you own it across all of the Xbox ecosystem,” Spencer concluded, reinforcing Microsoft’s vision for a unified gaming experience.
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