Following on from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's recent comments about the future of Xbox, outlet Windows Central has dug into the Xbox owner's plans - subsequently revealing a new cross-platform initiative apparently going on at the Redmond company.
According to the site, in particular reporter Jez Corden, Microsoft is working on some sort of "cross-platform Xbox guide" to use across multiple gaming systems. Sources tell the outlet that this initiative is called 'Project Rainway', and that Xbox HQ has been inspired by Blizzard's Battle.net platform in spinning this up.
"Sources tell us that Microsoft is also working on a set of in-game APIs and user interface features, called Project Rainway, which is some form of cross-platform Xbox guide menu.
Microsoft has been inspired by the in-game Battle.net social features seen in Hearthstone, Diablo IV, and World of Warcraft, which lets you share and communicate cross-platform.
This means that for games running on other platforms from Xbox, they will still have an Xbox flavor and in-game Xbox systems, maybe even cloud saves."
What those "other platforms" would be remains to be seen, but it's probably safe to assume that any PC-like device or handheld system of that ilk could make use of this - if it comes to fruition. Whether something like this could ever work on PlayStation and Nintendo systems is up in the air, but it's definitely less likely to be targeting those rival console platforms at this stage.
All of this is just reported information at the moment so that's worth bearing in mind, but it does follow on rather fittingly from Nadella's latest comments - and from Microsoft's 'This is an Xbox' campaign, of course. It looks like we've got an interesting few years ahead of us, folks.
What do you make of this reported project going on at Xbox HQ? Talk to us about it down below.
[source windowscentral.com]
Comments 25
My only wish is to be able to move my Xbox library to PC, if this OS or whatever it is allows me to do so I’ll be happy.
This makes a lot of sense. But remember your learnings / failings from Metro UI where you tried to give everything the same bland design whether you were on PC (with a highly precise mouse), Console (with a precise controller), Mobile (with less precise fingers) and Kinect (with very imprecise hand gestures)
Different platforms, different screen sizes v distance from screen, and different input methods require a different user interface to excel. Jack of all trades won't cut it.
@IOI You should already have access to your Xbox library on PC… at least the Xbox published one. 3rd party games are definitely not going to happen since that depends on the 3rd party publishers.
@AverageGamer We should but ‘Play Anywhere’ is yet another project Microsoft never fully committed to, as not all Xbox Game Studios, nor Bethesda, nor Activision or Blizzard titles are ‘Play Anywhere’, only a very small selection.
They could reach an agreement with third-party devs like they’re doing to be able to play owned games on the Cloud, not sure how it’d work tho.
But to use it you have to be subscribed to the “whoevencares” gamepass tier where you’ll also get half a bottle of shampoo and 4 minutes of walmart+. (Internet not included)
Doesn't seem very likely it's for ps or nintendo
@IOI All of the Bethesda releases under the Xbox banner has been play anywhere… I can’t speak for Activision since I haven’t touched the last 2 call of duty’s, and Blizzard’s Diablo 4 released before the purchase was completed.
What Xbox game studio release isn’t play anywhere?
So Microsoft already has Xbox chat, and Battlenet chat, and now they are inspired by Battlenet (which they own) to make another chat?
Also why call it Project Rainway? Rainway isn't a word, it's a failed game streaming company/product. It'd be like calling it Project GeForce or Project Walmart. Did they acquire them and are they developing it?
Steams big picture mode should be the inspiration.
@IOI I concur!
If Microsoft want to merge console and PC into one hybrid Xbox platform to rule them all, then having one shared library is a critical step. Failure to do that is throwing console users under the bus if we can’t carry our library forward to the future of Xbox.
@AverageGamer There are a few big ones missing from Play Anywhere.
Off the top of my head:
This is a great thing. With Diablo iv, you can just login to battle net on any platform and access your character. This is a great way to unify the Xbox experience.
@EvenStephen7 So games that was release before 'Play anywhere' was a thing, so they aren't obligated to offer it for those games... and one of those game aren't even on PC.
Probably related to the company Rainway, who had a partnership with Xbox in 2021 and may have contributed to their streaming service.
Xbox becomes too complicated for me as an oldie
Not interested in any handheld at all unless it's Nintendo I'm sorry!
Alright exclusivity aside, when a game is multiplat I do love cross platform saves and progress. This is good.
@Ricky-Spanish I would love if Nintendo did full re-releases of every variant of their consoles but with newer screens, re-releases of their top hits on carts and an online eShop. I would literally spend thousands of dollars on this, no price would be too high to pay.
@Kilamanjaro Hopefully soon enough we will just need an app and subscription to play all Xbox,Nintendo and PlayStation games past present and future but it will probably be a far few years away then you will just have to pay a subscription fee to get what you want!
You're sneaky Xbox. What they're going to try and do is marry all the devices together, if they can get an app that they can put on their own Xbox console, like Steam, then Xbox gamers can play PlayStation exclusives on an Xbox console, and why then need a PlayStation so long as PlayStation is releasing PC games. You're sneaky Xbox. It could be, to counter this, PlayStation will require a PSN login..... Plus you're getting your Platinum Trophies and PlayStation rewards points, makes sense.
Yeah, this all smells like a work around for Xbox to create an empire. They lost on the console front, now they're trying to swing the battlefield, they want to find a way to get PlayStation games on their consoles, because let's be real here, it's all Phil Spencer wants at this point is to say he beat PlayStation by getting them to bend to his business strategy and have PS games on Xbox. And all he needs is a Steam or Epic Games launcher to be on his console. Egh.....
Meanwhile, Nintendo has all the confidence in the world with all their games 100% exclusive to their console with a successor to the Switch next year. That shows confidence PlayStation seems to be lacking trying to play both sides of the coin. If that's the case, I'd be going Nintendo. I don't want a console that has no confidence in itself
@AverageGamer they aren’t obligated to offer it for any game, and plenty of smaller games pre-program are on there. You just said to someone “what Xbox game studio release isn’t play anywhere” without these qualifiers and I listed a few.
I found it pretty surprising that an online Halo collection, especially one that MS spent years updating until recently, wasn’t on there.
I didn't know Master Chief isn't on there. Wild.
Don't listen to AverageGamer, he seems like one of those angry fanboy types. Can't win with those kind.
@CrimsonSkies720 "Don't listen to AverageGamer, he seems like one of those angry fanboy types. Can't win with those kind."
lmao. Okay... Granted, I haven't owned an xbox in 2 generations. So what would I be fanboying about?
@EvenStephen7 "Not sure why you're so hostile or moving goalpost"
I don't get where you're seeing hostility at, but my comment was not a goalpost mover. It just makes no sense to mention pre-program games... You would have a case if any Xbox Game Studio game after the announcement of the program was on the list, but digging up games from 2013-15 is low blow. I mean if that the case... Ori and the Blind Forest, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Quantum Break also aren't play anywhere.
"I found it pretty surprising that an online Halo collection, especially one that MS spent years updating until recently, wasn’t on there."
343 already gave they reason for it not being a play anywhere title.
@Ricky-Spanish with a PC we can just emulate all those games hehe or get them for cheap on Steam. I have a big Epic library from them giving away so many games for free a year or two ago
@neoxmahi sneaky? It's literally their stated goal to make Xbox accessible everywhere they can.
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...