Today, ahead of a full E3 reveal, Microsoft announced that it would be bringingXbox Game Pass to PCand even expanding support for Xbox Game Studios titles across multiple storefronts, such as Steam, on PC. A full line-up of PC games that will be on the subscription service will be announced at E3 2019, but Xbox also revealed that it would be supported much like the console version, with Xbox Game Studios titles appearing on the service at launch. To top it all off, Microsoft revealed that it will support PC and console cross-play with new Xbox titles moving forward.
This functionality will be part of theXboxGame Bar that Microsoft announced just a few days ago. This new feature was announced to support PC and Xbox voice and text chat, LFG, friend lists, Spotify, a customizable UI, and more. But the Game Pass for PC announcement pushed the envelope, revealing that the Game Bar will also support cross-play across PC and console.
The full utilization of the Xbox Game Bar in conjunction with the Xbox Game Pass for PC is unclear, but this would mean Xbox Game Studios titles will appear on the Game Pass service for PC and console on day one and could be cross-play for PC and Xbox gamers. Presumably, the Game Bar could also work with those who purchase Xbox Games Studio titles through other methods, since Microsoft is also expanding its first-party Steam support.
It’s unclear which games will receive cross-play support via this functionality, but sinceGears of War 5is going to launch on Steam and traditionally has co-op elements, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think it could. Plus, whatever is revealed atXbox’s E3 2019 press conferencemay very well receive this support.
Regardless of the particulars, this should come as no surprise.Xbox’s support of cross-playis well-known, and the company’s Play Anywhere platform already meant that Xbox games were playable on PC. If anything, this is the next logical step, but it remains to be seen how far Xbox carries this.
