Support NeoGAF

[Gamezone]

I think it's great that we have full first party support for Game Pass and Play Anywhere, ut why is Play Anywhere so poorly adopted by other publishers, and what can Microsoft to to convince them? We had a few AAA titles like Shadow of War, but that's pretty much it.

Won't you be able to play anywhere using xCloud anyway?

 

[JCK75]

I think it's great that we have full first party support for Game Pass and Play Anywhere, ut why is Play Anywhere so poorly adopted by other publishers, and what can Microsoft to to convince them? We had a few AAA titles like Shadow of War, but that's pretty much it.

I mean I'm sure it's all about not wanting to lose out on money which I understand, though I do wish we'd see more because I do madly appreciate it.

 

[Breakfast at Noon]

Because double dip mentality exists.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Similar situation to what happened when PS3 added Trophies, remote play, and video recording mid-gen. Some devs supported it, some didn't. In the case of remote play and video recording almost no one supported it.

So, Sony mandated Trophies for every PS4 game. Every PS4 game (except VR) has to be compatible with Remote Play and Share Play. Video recording is built into the OS.

If Microsoft wants similar adoption, they'll have to implement similar requirements.

 

[Gamezone]

Similar situation to what happened when PS3 added Trophies, remote play, and video recording mid-gen. Some devs supported it, some didn't. In the case of remote play and video recording almost no one supported it.

So, Sony mandated Trophies for every PS4 game. Every PS4 game (except VR) has to be compatible with Remote Play and Share Play. Video recording is built into the OS.

If Microsoft wants similar adoption, they'll have to implement similar requirements.

I think it's easier to mandate Trophies compared to a "free" PC game. But I don't think many people buy games twice.

 

[FacelessSamurai]

Similar situation to what happened when PS3 added Trophies, remote play, and video recording mid-gen. Some devs supported it, some didn't. In the case of remote play and video recording almost no one supported it.

So, Sony mandated Trophies for every PS4 game. Every PS4 game (except VR) has to be compatible with Remote Play and Share Play. Video recording is built into the OS.

If Microsoft wants similar adoption, they'll have to implement similar requirements.

Play anywhere has nothing to do about added features. Why would they give you a console and a pc version for the price of 1 when they can make you pay twice?

It’s the only reason why most are not doing it. It’s all about $$$ and not caring about their customers. The lines need to be blurred more, we shouldn’t have to pay twice for the same game, which is why recent rumours seem to point towards MS trying to make it easier for devs, although I doubt it’ll amount to much since everyone is thinking about their bottom line.

 

[jshackles]

Similar situation to what happened when PS3 added Trophies, remote play, and video recording mid-gen. Some devs supported it, some didn't. In the case of remote play and video recording almost no one supported it.

So, Sony mandated Trophies for every PS4 game. Every PS4 game (except VR) has to be compatible with Remote Play and Share Play. Video recording is built into the OS.

If Microsoft wants similar adoption, they'll have to implement similar requirements.

That's a pretty tall order though, for Play Anywhere. Is Microsoft going to say "our new contracts say that if you release the game on PC, you have to give existing Xbox owners a free Windows Store copy"? What if a game is released on Steam or Epic Games Store, or GOG, but not the Windows Store? What happens if the PC port is a late, even years late, port? What if the PC version adds extra features that weren't available in the Xbox version?

Seems like the only way Microsoft could mandate this from third parties would be if Windows were a walled garden like they seem to want to make it.

 

[Gamezone]

Play anywhere has nothing to do about added features. Why would they give you a console and a pc version for the price of 1 when they can make you pay twice?

It’s the only reason why most are not doing it. It’s all about $$$ and not caring about their customers. The lines need to be blurred more, we shouldn’t have to pay twice for the same game, which is why recent rumours seem to point towards MS trying to make it easier for devs, although I doubt it’ll amount to much since everyone is thinking about their bottom line.

It shouldn't, so why should they be OK with streaming? If I buy a game trough xCloud, the game will apperently work on my TV, mobile Xbox and PC, just not natively, but still.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Play anywhere has nothing to do about added features. Why would they give you a console and a pc version for the price of 1 when they can make you pay twice?

It’s the only reason why most are not doing it. It’s all about $$$ and not caring about their customers. The lines need to be blurred more, we shouldn’t have to pay twice for the same game, which is why recent rumours seem to point towards MS trying to make it easier for devs, although I doubt it’ll amount to much since everyone is thinking about their bottom line.

I agree that it's all about money. I'm just pointing out the best way to standardize the feature.

That's a pretty tall order though, for Play Anywhere. Is Microsoft going to say "our new contracts say that if you release the game on PC, you have to give existing Xbox owners a free Windows Store copy"? What if a game is released on Steam or Epic Games Store, or GOG, but not the Windows Store? What happens if the PC port is a late, even years late, port? What if the PC version adds extra features that weren't available in the Xbox version?

Seems like the only way Microsoft could mandate this from third parties would be if Windows were a walled garden like they seem to want to make it.

Microsoft has enough cash. As F FacelessSamurai pointed out, I think it's just greed and half-hearted acceptance of the feature. Microsoft isn't doing anything special with Play Anywhere but they want to be able to say "see? We're doing that too".

 

[Gamezone]

I agree that it's all about money. I'm just pointing out the best way to standardize the feature.


Microsoft has enough cash. As F FacelessSamurai pointed out, I think it's just greed and half-hearted acceptance of the feature. Microsoft isn't doing anything special with Play Anywhere but they want to be able to say "see? We're doing that too".

Apperently they are fixing the MS Store and the Xbox application to make PC users happy. They are also introducing Game Pass later on, so they are doing something at least.

 

[Fbh]

Because play anywhere is a MS strategy to increase the gaming appeal of 2 platform they own: Xbox and Windows (or more specifically, their crappy windows store)

Third party Devs don't care about pushing and promoting platforms , they care about sales and since they have nothing to gain from giving you access to their game on 2 platforms for the price of one (unless MS offers them something) they are probably not too eager to do so.

It shouldn't, so why should they be OK with streaming? If I buy a game trough xCloud, the game will apperently work on my TV, mobile Xbox and PC, just not natively, but still.

Selling individual games and offering a monthly subscription service are 2 completely different business models

 

[JohnnyFootball]

It's not hard to figure out:

For starters, not many people who are console gamers are also PC gamers who would care enough to play the game on both systems. Yes, there is certainly some overlap, but it's probably not a huge number.

Second, how do you distribute it? Is there a code in each case for those why buy in the store? Will it be digital only? If there are codes in the cases, you would have the market flooded with codes and they would essentially make no money on PC games.

At the end of the day, there is simply no money to be made and some to lose by doing it. I mean how many people do you really feel will pick up a game on console for the sole purpose of having a PC version?

 

[Fnord]

Play anywhere has nothing to do about added features. Why would they give you a console and a pc version for the price of 1 when they can make you pay twice?

It’s the only reason why most are not doing it. It’s all about $$$ and not caring about their customers. The lines need to be blurred more, we shouldn’t have to pay twice for the same game, which is why recent rumours seem to point towards MS trying to make it easier for devs, although I doubt it’ll amount to much since everyone is thinking about their bottom line.

But, unless the code for both versions is exactly the same, you aren't paying twice for the "same game." Development costs money. Developing two versions of a game for different (albeit similar) platforms costs money. Are the developers just supposed to do that extra work for free?

 

[jshackles]

Another thing that makes the whole prospect a little convoluted - but with Windows 10 and Xbox on the same network, you can stream your games directly from your Xbox to your PC. So technically, you can play all of your Xbox One games on your PC anyway regardless of whether or not the game supports "Play Anywhere". You're just getting a locally streamed copy instead of a native Windows copy of the game. So you can play it when your Xbox is off... I guess.

 

[Gamezone]

Another thing that makes the whole prospect a little convoluted - but with Windows 10 and Xbox on the same network, you can stream your games directly from your Xbox to your PC. So technically, you can play all of your Xbox One games on your PC anyway regardless of whether or not the game supports "Play Anywhere". You're just getting a locally streamed copy instead of a native Windows copy of the game. So you can play it when your Xbox is off... I guess.

True. xCloud will provide the same thing too.

 

[NickFire]

MS stands to gain market share from play anywhere. Publishers just stand to lose double dipped sales.

 

[FacelessSamurai]

But, unless the code for both versions is exactly the same, you aren't paying twice for the "same game." Development costs money. Developing two versions of a game for different (albeit similar) platforms costs money. Are the developers just supposed to do that extra work for free?

That’s why current rumours are that MS is trying to find ways for development to be easier so that they don’t need to put in as much ressources to develop 2 versions.

It shouldn't, so why should they be OK with streaming? If I buy a game trough xCloud, the game will apperently work on my TV, mobile Xbox and PC, just not natively, but still.

Because no extra work is needed on their part, it’s just running on an Xbox One S server blade in the cloud. MS probably pays something though for games to be available on the service, just like Netflix does for example.

 

[Geki-D]

Why aren't third parties down with giving away free extra copies of their games for a different platform? What a mind-bending question that is.

 

[lynux3]

Publishers are out to make money and its likely Microsoft's incentives for supporting it aren't worth the loss.

 

[mckmas8808]

Similar situation to what happened when PS3 added Trophies, remote play, and video recording mid-gen. Some devs supported it, some didn't. In the case of remote play and video recording almost no one supported it.

So, Sony mandated Trophies for every PS4 game. Every PS4 game (except VR) has to be compatible with Remote Play and Share Play. Video recording is built into the OS.

If Microsoft wants similar adoption, they'll have to implement similar requirements.

Good point! I wonder if MS would want to push Publishers this hard.

 

[Geki-D]

Good point! I wonder if MS would want to push Publishers this hard.

They sure as hell can't force publishers to give away PC versions of their games for free. They do that, Sony will be suddenly seeing a lot more console exclusives.

 

[Gamezone]

That’s why current rumours are that MS is trying to find ways for development to be easier so that they don’t need to put in as much ressources to develop 2 versions.

Because no extra work is needed on their part, it’s just running on an Xbox One S server blade in the cloud. MS probably pays something though for games to be available on the service, just like Netflix does for example.

Sure, but I think Microsoft are developing tools to help developers turn their games into their format with little efforts.

 

[mckmas8808]

They sure as hell can't force publishers to give away PC versions of their games for free. They do that, Sony will be suddenly seeing a lot more console exclusives.

Hmmmm.....you're right. So MS would have to incentivize them to do it. Would straight hard cash be that incentive? Or something else?

 

[Gamezone]

Good point! I wonder if MS would want to push Publishers this hard.

But they won't. Phil Spencer said so himself.

 

[Toe-Knee]

Two very simple reasons

1. They don't want to give something away for free
2. They don't want to use the windows store

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Hmmmm.....you're right. So MS would have to incentivize them to do it. Would straight hard cash be that incentive? Or something else?

MS is pretty wealthy but the Xbox brand does have to make money. They can't just moneyhat everything.

 

[Gamezone]

They sure as hell can't force publishers to give away PC versions of their games for free. They do that, Sony will be suddenly seeing a lot more console exclusives.

They can't? They could commit to Xbox as a service by forcing publishers to release their games both places. Can they afford to ignore Xbox by not wanting to do so?

 

[Texas Pride]

It's simple economics. Third party Devs have no interest in helping MS push their platform at their expense. Buying a game on one platform guaranteeing you a copy on another is not in their interest. It was something that sounded like great PR when they announced it but it was never going to take off bcs MS can't force it on developers.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

It's simple economics. Third party Devs have no interest in helping MS push their platform at their expense. Buying a game on one platform guaranteeing you a copy on another is not in their interest. It was something that sounded like great PR when they announced it but it was never going to take off bcs MS can't force it on developers.

I only speak for myself but I will often play a game on console first and then at a much later date buy it on PC when it goes on sale for cheap. I’m sure there are others.