The main thing keeping me on Xbox over PlayStation or Nintendo remains one of Xbox's most underrated and overlooked features (by Microsoft itself,...

[Windows Central]

Xbox Play Anywhere is gradually expanding, but I want more, MORE! MORE I SAY! But do the economics work?

The main thing keeping me on Xbox over PlayStation or Nintendo remains one of Xbox's most underrated and overlooked features (by Microsoft itself,... : Read more

 

[fatpunkslim]

Xbox Play Anywhere is gradually expanding, but I want more, MORE! MORE I SAY! But do the economics work?

The main thing keeping me on Xbox over PlayStation or Nintendo remains one of Xbox's most underrated and overlooked features (by Microsoft itself,... : Read more

With Xbox's games going fully multiplatform over the next few years, many are wondering what the point of sticking with Xbox is.

Yes but NO !
That's not what's happening. And repeating it won't make it happen. 'Fully' is unnecessary! And for several reasons, but if I had to give just one very simple reason, it would be that not all games would be profitable to port, quite simply. It's not the only reason, of course, but just to show you that your 'fully' is definitely unnecessary.

Otherwise, yes, I completely agree that there are plenty of other reasons to stay on Xbox besides exclusive games, and Xbox Play Anywhere is one of them!

 

[GraniteStateColin]

A possibly stupid question here: what features define Play Anywhere? Can a game officially be Xbox Play Anywhere without being part of GamePass? Does it require purchase once and get licenses to install on Xbox and Windows? Does it require streaming support or is that just part of being part of GamePass Ultimate? What if a game just supports cross-platform cloud save?

And semi-related, do all apps now support cloud save on Xbox so that if the Xbox drive fails or you have multiple Xboxes your most recent save is always available? I see this on multiple games, including "older" current-gen games that aren't in GamePass, like Cyberpunk 2077, but haven't paid attention if it's all.

 

[fatpunkslim]

A possibly stupid question here: what features define Play Anywhere? Can a game officially be Xbox Play Anywhere without being part of GamePass? Does it require purchase once and get licenses to install on Xbox and Windows? Does it require streaming support or is that just part of being part of GamePass Ultimate? What if a game just supports cross-platform cloud save?

And semi-related, do all apps now support cloud save on Xbox so that if the Xbox drive fails or you have multiple Xboxes your most recent save is always available? I see this on multiple games, including "older" current-gen games that aren't in GamePass, like Cyberpunk 2077, but haven't paid attention if it's all.

What features define Play Anywhere?
You buy the game on one platform, either on Xbox console or PC, and you can play it on Xbox console, PC, and soon also in the cloud, without needing to buy the game again. And of course, you benefit from cross-save, otherwise, it wouldn't make sense.

Does it require streaming support or is that just part of being part of GamePass Ultimate?
Yes and no, it's a separate feature that is being rolled out to more and more games and consists of making any purchased game available in the cloud as well.

The question isn't silly, though, because in essence, the cloud is part of the same principle as Xbox Play Anywhere, so in the long term, I think we can say that the cloud should be part of Xbox Play Anywhere to keep its full meaning.

For now, to access xCloud, you need to have Game Pass Ultimate, but it's possible that in the long term there will be a separate offer dedicated to the cloud, I suppose.

Does it require purchase once and get licenses to install on Xbox and Windows?
A game in Game Pass can be Xbox Play Anywhere if it is both in Game Pass PC and Game Pass Console. But otherwise, yes, it means that by buying a game once, it is available on your Xbox console and your PC (and in the cloud in the middle term).

What if a game just supports cross-platform cloud save?
It's necessary but not sufficient.

do all apps now support cloud save on Xbox so that if the Xbox drive fails or you have multiple Xboxes your most recent save is always available?
As far as i know Yes ! For most games at least

 

[Kvally]

"With Xbox's games going fully multiplatform over the next few years, many are wondering what the point of sticking with Xbox is. If PlayStation 5"

What is the point of sticking with the PS5 if they are doing the same thing?

 

[fatpunkslim]

"With Xbox's games going fully multiplatform over the next few years, many are wondering what the point of sticking with Xbox is. If PlayStation 5"

What is the point of sticking with the PS5 if they are doing the same thing?

In fact, Xbox has never had so many exclusive games, which makes his statement about 'fully multiplatform' quite funny. He seems to have an obsession with exclusive games and PlayStation, I don't know why!

Xbox exclusives: Starfield, Flight Simulator, Valheim, Forza Horizon 5, Forza Motorsport, Halo Infinite, Dungeons of Hinterberg (I love it), Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones (timed exclusive), Stalker 2, Palworld (timed exclusive), and coming in 2025 and later: Avowed, South of Midnight, Fable, Gears E-Day, Perfect Dark, Replaced, Contraband, State of Decay 3, OD, Clockwork Revolution, Ark 2, 33 Immortals, Project MARA, Project Maverick, Citizen Sleeper 2, Everwild, and more. Who said Xbox no longer has exclusive games? It's quite the opposite.

With all their studios, they can afford to have both multiplatform and exclusive games, and some timed exclusive games. At this rate, PlayStation has more chances of becoming fully multiplatform before Xbox, considering the production of Xbox first-party games vs. PlayStation first-party games.

 

[SikSlayer]

"It's an indictment that many of Microsoft's own properties don't support Xbox Play Anywhere, at least according to this filter. Fallout 4, the modern DOOM games, The Elder Scrolls — the list goes on."

These listed games are ALL Zenimax/Bethesda games that were released before the purchase by Microsoft. OF COURSE they aren't Play Anywhere. It's why pre-BLOPS6 Call of Duty games aren't either. Further to the point, smaller Doom titles like the remastered Doom 64, Wolf 3D, etc, are. These were released after the purchase If I'm not mistaken.

Does this totally absolve Microsoft? No. I'm sure there are examples of games post Zenimax purchase that would have better fit to make the point. Also, Microsoft should spend the engineering time where possible to make these titles Play Anywhere.

In the end, I too LOVE Play Anywhere, and it's my default version of a game to buy, when available. I wish it was more standard. But those games don't make that point.