How Microsoft can turn Windows PCs into an Xbox

Jan 10, 2025 12:00 AM - 1 week ago 14110

Lenovo’s mysterious “future of gaming handhelds” arena astatine CES delivered confirmation this week that Microsoft is combining “the champion of Xbox and Windows together” for handhelds. Microsoft’s VP of Next Generation, Jason Ronald, said to my workfellow Sean Hollister aft the arena to uncover that not only are large changes coming to the Windows handheld acquisition but besides “you’re going to spot a batch of worldly arsenic early arsenic this year.”

I’ve been writing for more than a year astir really Microsoft needs to overhaul Windows connected handhelds and usage an Xbox OS UI connected top, keeping the complexity of the Windows desktop hidden away. That sounds precisely for illustration what Microsoft is astir to do. “I would opportunity it’s bringing the champion of Xbox and Windows together, because we person spent the past 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it’s really locked to the console,” says Ronald. “What we’re doing is we’re really focused connected really do we bring those experiences for some players and developers to the broader Windows ecosystem.”

Ronald says Microsoft’s “goal is to present an Xbox acquisition that puts your contented beforehand and center, and not the Windows desktop that you person today.” For this to hap successful reality, Microsoft has to tackle a batch of analyzable activity to genuinely present the Xbox OS UI connected apical of Windows. Microsoft is moving connected things for illustration updating the basal relationship models successful Windows to alteration joystick and thumbstick support, alternatively of having to usage a mouse-driven interface.

What’s really absorbing is that we’re proceeding astir each this activity from Ronald, who is portion of the Microsoft Gaming section and not the Windows org. While the Xbox squad has built experiences for Windows PCs successful the past, those person mostly been constricted to the Game Bar aliases the Xbox app. It looks for illustration Xbox is now taking control.

Aside from the UI changes and imaginable for an Xbox OS-like acquisition connected each handheld PC, Microsoft besides has to tackle crippled compatibility. Will this mixed Windows and Xbox acquisition still play Xbox console games and your full integer library, aliases will it trust connected Xbox Play Anywhere — wherever you tin bargain a crippled digitally connected the Xbox shop and play the PC type connected Windows? Xbox Play Anywhere is simply a awesome initiative, but it’s only a mini action of titles correct now. There are signs that Xbox Play Anywhere is the attack Microsoft will chiefly attraction on for this mixed Windows and Xbox effort, but location besides has to beryllium a measurement to play older Xbox titles that don’t person a PC equivalent.

“What we’re really focused connected is removing a batch of those barriers, putting you and your room astatine the halfway of the acquisition sloppy of really you bought the game, really you entree the game, whether it’s via Game Pass aliases you bought it,” says Ronald. “It’s really astir enabling you to play the games you want successful arsenic galore places arsenic you can.”

Ronald besides says Microsoft is very overmuch focused connected crippled preservation pinch this caller handheld effort. “It’s really astir retaining the room and the hundreds of hours of progression you person and enabling you to acquisition those successful caller ways that you’ve ne'er been capable to do before.” You’ve surely ne'er been capable to play Xbox games connected PC before, but possibly that’s astir to change.

I’ve been reasoning a batch astir XWine1, a promising effort by third-party developers to make Xbox One games tally connected Windows. The squad down XWine1 is presently moving connected mapping the halfway system, graphics, and WinRT APIs that Xbox games usage complete to Windows. It’s somewhat akin to the activity that Valve has done pinch Proton, translating Windows APIs complete to Linux. The XWine1 developers are having to do a full batch of hacking together of solutions and wrappers for Microsoft’s UWP app model, but ideate what Microsoft could do itself.

Microsoft has experimented pinch the thought of Xbox games moving connected Windows successful the past. In 2016, Microsoft was moving connected Project Helix, a measurement to further harvester Windows and Xbox aft the Xbox One was primitively launched pinch a customized type of Windows 8. At the time, I reported that location were ambitions to make Xbox One games playable connected a PC to bolster Microsoft’s Universal App Platform efforts pinch Windows 10. That activity ne'er progressed, but now we’re months distant from seeing really Microsoft will propulsion disconnected turning Windows PCs into an Xbox.

I fishy a batch of really this each comes together will beryllium related to the caller Xbox squad focused connected crippled preservation and guardant compatibility. Xbox president Sarah Bond created this caller squad successful early 2024, and I’m guessing it could yet lead to the Xbox 360 / original Xbox emulator moving connected PC. There are immoderate evident licensing hurdles to flooded pinch specified an approach, but I can’t spot really other Microsoft will sphere the afloat Xbox integer libraries if it’s looking to an Xbox early wherever it integrates much afloat into Windows.

Last year, I wrote astir really the future of Xbox looks a batch for illustration a PC, and I deliberation Ronald’s revelations this week spell further than conscionable Windows handhelds and hint astatine the next-generation Xbox platform, too. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has already teased that the Xbox squad is reasoning astir really to unfastened up its ecosystem and clasp PC stores for illustration the Epic Games Store and Itch.io. If that happens, past it’s a large rethinking of the Xbox console model, and to make it possible, an Xbox console would request to beryllium tin of moving PC games. Ronald is retired present teasing the early of Windows handhelds, but it besides sounds for illustration he’s describing the early of Xbox consoles, too.

The cardinal will beryllium Microsoft’s execution. We’ve seen Microsoft effort to attraction connected gaming connected Windows aggregate times successful the past, pinch immoderate disastrous results. The Microsoft Store connected PC is still achy compared to Steam, and astir PC gamers still only attraction astir Steam. Microsoft besides has the unit of SteamOS looming complete it, particularly now that Lenovo is utilizing Valve’s OS connected its latest Legion Go S handheld.

Microsoft still has the advantage of compatibility and being capable to connection PC Game Pass and Steam games connected the aforesaid device. If it tin nail the acquisition properly, past that whitethorn good forestall different PC handheld makers from taking up SteamOS, but the execution will person to beryllium perfect. I surely spot the Xbox level squad to get this correct much than the Windows side, truthful I’m cautiously optimistic that the consequence will beryllium what Windows handhelds request correct now. With a much powerful Nintendo Switch 2 connected the sky and SteamOS creating immoderate patient competition, Microsoft can’t spend to messiness this up.

Xbox Developer Direct

Before the holidays, I teased connected Bluesky that I was expecting an Xbox arena successful January. Microsoft announced coming that it’s hosting different Xbox Developer Direct connected January 23rd. It’s going to beryllium a engaged 2025 for Xbox, pinch games for illustration Fable, Avowed, South of Midnight, Doom: The Dark Ages, Towerborne, The Outer Worlds 2, and more to look guardant to.

This year’s arena will see a mysterious “brand caller game,” and Microsoft will besides connection a person look astatine South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Doom: The Dark Ages. This is besides the first Developer Direct since Microsoft started bringing much games to Nintendo Switch and PS5, truthful it’ll beryllium absorbing to spot if location are immoderate further announcements for different platforms.

With Nintendo’s unannounced Switch 2 console leaking nonstop correct now, it besides feels for illustration Nintendo is conscionable days distant from making the Switch 2 charismatic this month. I’m consenting to stake that Microsoft will person immoderate Xbox games fresh for the Switch 2. We saw grounds of Hi-Fi Rush for the Switch past year, and Grounded and Pentiment already made their measurement complete to the original Switch. Perhaps the Switch 2 will beryllium powerful capable for Sea of Thieves to make the jump, too.

The pad:

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