In an interview with Giantbomb, Xbox boss Phil Spencer revealed some interesting information about Microsoft’s future plans regarding the Windows store. Phil Spencer claimed that some of Microsoft’s games will find their way on Steam, something that will definitely please a lot of PC gamers.
As Phil Spencer told Giantbomb:
“I look at Steam today, it’s on an incredible growth trajectory. It’s a massive force in gaming; a positive force. I think it will be bigger a year from now than it is today. And five years later it will still be bigger again. I look at Valve as an important [independent software vendor] for us on Windows. They are a critical part of gaming’s success on Windows. I don’t think Valve’s hurt by not having our first-party games in their store right now. They’re doing incredible well. We will ship games on Steam again.”
Before jumping around like crazy, do note that this is not a confirmation of Microsoft’s first-party games coming to Steam. Yes, Microsoft will release some games on Steam, however it still plans to compete with Steam.
“There’s going to be areas where we cooperate and there’s going to be areas where we compete. The end result is better for gamers.”
Basically, this sounds more like this: “We will release some games but the first-party triple-A games will remain exclusive to Windows Store.”
Regarding the reception of the recently released PC games on Windows Store, Phil Spencer had this to say:
“They all haven’t gone swimmingly. Some of them have gone well. Forza 6 Apex did well. Quantum Break wasn’t our best PC release. Killer Instinct did well on PC. Gears of War Ultimate Edition was OK–we definitely learned there.”
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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So basically what we already knew. Games like Ori and the Blind Forest and Cuphead are on or confirmed to be coming to Steam. Major releases like Gears of War or Forza are Windows Store only. I wouldn’t have a huge problem with this if the UWP framework wasn’t such an anti-competitive cancer. It’s designed so that any piece of software you want to download or use has to go through Microsoft (unlike Win32 applications, which anyone can create, modify, distribute and use as they see fit).
Make all games on steam and omg I would throw my wallet
Windows store still plans to compete with Steam. hahahahahaha not in a million years not possible
Such a shame that Microsoft would rather make 100% of virtually nothing, rather than the 70% they’d get with Steam’s userbase of millions.
Good call. A lot of us aren’t buying their games since it’s on the damn Windows Store. Please lord, may Quantum break and Forza Horizon 3 be on steam -____-
I don’t care about Steam. I want all games to be UWP with cross buy between PC and Xbox. Single buy of both version is key. If Steam dosn’t allow single buy for Xbox and PC then MS shouldn’t release any game on Steam. Its simple. MS should force Valve to allow single buy between PC and Xbox.
“Xbox play anywhere” or “no buy”
All games must be cross buy, cross play, cross save between PC and Xbox. This should be standard for all games
That’s you, though. If you look beyond you, you’ll find a minority of PC Gamers actually give a sh*t about that, since even if some of us do own a PlayStation, most of us would never sink so low as to buy Microsoft’s Xbox, so yeah…..
Literally, the definition of a pointless feature for the majority of people.
I don’t care about Steam as long as the don’t allow to single buy games for both PC and Xbox as it is possible on Windows Store. I never bought a single game on Steam and I don’t care about this shop. Steam always was more expensive than others shops and Windows Store is better each day:
Current UWP Windows Store games
– Forza Motorsport 6 Apex (free)
– Quantum Break
– Gears of War Ultimate
– Killer Instinct
– Ori and the Blind Forrest
– Rise of Tomb Raider
– Minecraft (with Oculus Rift support)
– Oxenfree
– Sheltered
Future UWP Windows Store games:
– Halo 6 – (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Halo 5 Forge (free)
– Forza Horizon 3 cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Gears of War 4 (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Halo Wars 2 (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– State of Decay 2 (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Scalebound (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Crackdown 3 (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Dead Rising 4 (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Sea of Thievies (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Recore (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Cuphead (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– We Happy Few (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
– Ark: Survival Evolved (cross buy Windows 10 + Xbox)
When Steam will allow of cross buy between PC and console? They probably never add this option. I never understand people who want Steam monopoly with expensive games and no “cross buy” option
“I never understand people who want Steam monopoly with expensive games and no “cross buy” option”
I repeat – most PC Gamers don’t even own an Xbox, so, they simply do NOT give a flying f*cking sh*t about cross-buy or cross-play or anything like that.
Hell, most people actually hate playing against controllers, as they consider them to be inferior.
Haha thats why i love the console guys 🙂 They are all noobs cuz yea, controllersz and stuff. 🙂
Easy kills man 😀
thats not true…we care about the longetivity of a game and with cross play multiplayer iwll be much more alive than it currently is on top tier PC games. AGAIN, SPEAK FOR YOURSELF NOT FOR ALL OF US,. i applaud the xbox integration into windows 10 and i want it to prosper and grow like nothing else.
You do realize Console Manufacturers arbitrarily shut down Multiplayer servers at will, right?
They are literally at the mercy of Microsoft & Sony respectively, & Microsoft in particular has very little qualms about shutting down Multiplayer communities.
Besides, how exactly is “the longevity of a game” going to be best served with cross-platform Multiplayer, exactly? By pitting M/K players against Controllers? By flooding the PC Multiplayer communities with even more kiddies who’s balls haven’t even dropped yet which can’t stop screaming at the top of their lungs?
No seriously, how exactly is cross-platform play with the Xbox Multiplayer Community in any way a pro, at all?
“Prosper & grow”… Hah. More like, die even faster.
“AGAIN, SPEAK FOR YOURSELF”
He said MOST, not ALL and it’s a fact it wasn’t an opinion.
This motion has been seconded.
He got more votes than you, so by DSOG democracy, he does in fact speak for the majority, passed…..
thats wrong though kiddo, most pc owners have a least one current gen console or all of them like i do. true gamers play on every platform. stay elitist though, your so cool and anti authority! fight the system!
“Most PC owners”? Really? “Have at least one current gen console, you say ? Wow…. That’s interesting, enlightening, & most of all, amazing!
Hey, btw did you know that “most human beings” can walk on water? Yeah, see, most of us have at least one evolved flipper, if not more. It’s really quite amazing, IMO.
Besides, what does owning a PlayStation 4, or a Wii/U or really just any console that isn’t an Xbox One have to do with Windows 10-Xbox One cross-play, exactly?
Oh right, nothing…….
But hey, stay elitist you non-water walking human kiddo & keep pulling sh*t out of your *ss to support your bullsh*t arguments. You’re so cool & anti-authority! Fight the truth!
P.S. As of May 22, 2016, 40 million PlayStation 4s have been sold, worldwide. As of May 21, 2016, ~21 million Xbox Ones have been sold, worldwide. Let’s say 62 million total, by now. Would you care to point out how many of those are alleged PC Gamers, perchance?
im not sure what you were trying to say to be honest fam, are you made that you cant afford a console and or that you refuse to play anything on console or with controller? if your implying i was trolling then look it up, theres tons of polls and research saying that the MAJORITY of PC players also play games on console and own at least 1 next gen system per console generation. please do research and know about gaming before talking to me in the future please.
I’ve owned many consoles over the years (I own a PlayStation 4 right now, even), & as I’ve said on multiple occasions, I vocally recommend playing many games with controllers (ex – Assassin’s Creed, Batman Arkham), because doing so with a m/k is just dumb.
But no yeah, I’m mad because I’m some kind of PC elitist that “can’t afford” a console, &/or refuses to play anything on console with controller.” So nice of you to inform me.
Please supply a link to your alleged proof, instead of just vomiting out more bullsh*t “about gaming before talking to me in the future, please”?
Or is that too much to ask for?
“as of november 2015 there are 125 million steam users” so not including alts/trolls accounts and phishing scammers there aprox 100 million INDIVIDUAL steam users, which is being generous(as i have 3 accounts plus my under aged sons account.)
so 61 million ps4/xb1 saes (you didnt mention wii-u btw, so lol)
but lets say 60 million console users. so about half of steam users…… in like 1-2 years………. when steam been around for a decade or more by now. and your saying what exactly kiddo?
dont respond to me or my wifes son who also comments here ever again.
ouch… found this facebook pic of you, now i understand why you troll me and follow and respond to alll my comments….
okay…you won kiddo!
Wow.
Nice try, but sorry – I don’t use Facebook 🙁
Give my best to the “wife” though.
You know, the one that doesn’t exist.
I’m confused, what’s your argument supposed to be here, exactly? You know, besides vomiting out allegations with zero proof to back them up with.
No seriously, I have no idea what point you’re trying to make here, beyond “Steam has ~100 million users, & new-gen consoles have ~60 million players,” & “Steam is 10+ years old, these new consoles aren’t.”
So-the-f*ck-what?
I might point out however, that the original argument, before you derailed it completely, was about Windows 10 & Xbox One cross-play. That means; 21 million Xbox One users, & however-many-there-are Windows 10 users (~30% of Steam). That’s literally two minorities I’m talking about right there, which UWP’s cross-play feature would actually have any real-world effect on, not some alleged unsubstantiated, unproven “most PC gamers” bullsh*t.
But please, keep it up, this is fun.
when did i ever mention playing AGAINST CONTROLLERS? i mentioned some games better with controller, which is a fact you troll. also i believe MS said they will segregate controller/kb+mouse users at least at a certain skill level. which makes sense. im gold nova 2 and top frag in cs:go on controller 90% of the time im too lazy to get outta bed. *edit* hard to get past that on controller, put a average gold nova 2 on pc can obliterate anyone on console csgo despite level (does cs:go console even do matchmaking skill level?)
“i mentioned some games better with controller”
You….. What? Where……? I don’t even…….
“i believe MS said they will segregate controller/kb+mouse users at least at a certain skill level”
Did they now. Funny, how Google fails to (once again) provide me with any evidence of your unsubstantiated claims, but please, don’t let that (or me) stop you. Carry on, carry on!
No idea what you’re trying to say in that last part, so I’m basically just guessing; “I thrash PC gamers on m/k’s 90% of the time using a controller, even though I’m too lazy to get out of bed.” “Edit: it’s hard to get past that (past what, exactly?) on a controller, put an average Gold Nova 2 on PC they can obliterate anyone on the console CS:GO despite level difference”? No seriously, I have no idea what you’re saying there.
However; you do realize Steam literally had to cut cross-platform play from CS:GO because of controllers getting utterly thrashed by m/k’s, right?
well I had to agree on expensive games (though they are retail-priced)
and the only thing to make game prices lower on Steam is with mixed review or bad sales. Black Ops 3 has mixed review and even got discount in around 2 months after release (sales-wise it is ok), though this does depends on publisher
You’re forgetting Steam Sales. Sometimes they don’t slash a price with a Steam Sale coming up on purpose, knowing it’ll get price-slashed anyway during the sale, but that’s basic economics.
Regardless, yes/no. Some publishers will automatically reduce prices over time, others will not, true. Sure, Activision (for example) keeps its most popular Call of Duty games priced as high as possible as long as possible (Call of Duty 4 is still slightly above average for a game its age for example), but yeah, everyone drops prices when the game doesn’t sell well or gets received poorly.
It’s not a rule of thumb though, & you’ll find similar guidelines are used in retail anyway – product isn’t well received? Slash the price & dump the stock. Product is old but gold? Keep it slightly above average. They’ll pay it anyway, since they already know it’s a good game.
Prices will always vary between digital & physical, but the rules are much the same in any case, regardless of distributor/retailer.
“Steam always was more expensive than others shops” what? steam price in my region are far more cheaper than any other digital distribution like PSN for same game
I can see crossbuy being useful for people with console gaming friends. Create a shared account and buy the game once. Then your console friend and you both have it. Maybe your console friend buys most games, and you only buy a few.
Nope. It has multi-platform play. But it is purchased on the same account. I do not play multiplayer games very often, and I’ve never helped ship a game using UWP. That may change soon though. So if I work with it, my views may change. But for now I see it as harmless. I have no issue with it and if there is a game I want, I’ll get it. Doesn’t matter what storefront it happens to be on.
Really? Using UWP in addition to steam and PSN? How is potentially giving more people access to a game bad? The way I see it, you’re similar to elderly people that refuse to learn how to use a computer. UWP isn’t perfect. Its not particularly good, in fact. But perhaps, just think for a second, maybe its harmless if its used as well as steam. Maybe you should go against games only being on one store. I say all games on all platforms and storefronts.
“if its used as well as steam.”
Problem is, it’s not >.<
That’s missing the point. He attacked me as a dev. I was going to use UWP as well as steam.
That being said, I have two friends that own xbox ones. So maybe I’m just trying to use them to get free stuff.
PC gamers don’t care about getting the game on XBox, most don’t own any consoles. Few gamers have more than one platform, and for most PC only gamers, the XBox on PC, called UWP, can go to hell.
I don’t give a damn about games using any walled gardens.
Neither Valves nor Origin/Uplay/…, or MS’s “XBox on PC” Store.
Give me an offline installer or don’t, but swapping one exclusive platform, for another, makes no difference at all.
It’s all rubbish, just give me the game, without any damn Store client, or
sod your games, they cease to exist as far as I’m concerned.
I don’t mind having choices, as long as one of them is an offline installer.
I don’t think they would indeed.
speak for yourself man…day 1 for me on all their games.
Good. Like i stated before. There no doubt i’ll buy Forza Horizon 3, no way i’m passing that game. I would buy GoW4/Quantum break but damn, the uwp.. I’ll probably end up getting them one day anyways.
I believe the correct term is, 100% of nothing rather then 70% of something :p
Well Phil, everybody hates Windows 10 and Windows store as they suck
balls. Release ALL games on Steam in W7/8/10 and maybe someone will give
a f*ck! Nobody wants Windows 10 NSA PRISM edition you know!!
SecuROM is mentioned, but yeah, it’s an uncommon practice.
Not a single Denuvo warning on any game, for example, even with all its unpopularity.
Then again the Windows store is inside Windows 10, so everyone with a W10 already have access to it.
P.s. Just sayin, i also dont like the Store, but at least we get some cool new games. All my games are on Steam, but i wont mind it too much if i get the new Halo on the W store.
Then again, how many of the Windows 10 upgraders have professed their interest in buying stuff from the Windows 10 Store with their wallets? 😛
I will even though i hate the damn store. Why should i not play a game that poked my interest ?. Whatever the store, i hate origins, uplay. They’re not as invasive and don’t suck as much as Windows Store but they’re still useless to me. It pisses me off to buy stuff on ms store. Truly. I’m holding on for now but god damn Forza Horizon 3 is going to have my money.
No idea really 😛 but at least it comes with the Windows and most casual noobs will have it on their fingertips.
I have a friend that couldn’t make a steam account, so i had to do it for him. Hes good at playing games, but he sucks at making emails,accounts and changing options and settings. Its almost like hes too lazy to learn haha 😛 It took me hours to even explain from where he can download steam -_- hes that bad.
Timed Exclusive for Windows Store could be good solvation Phil will get some auditory for WS and Steam gamers will get, what they want.
Lol
To me it reads :”things will stay the same as they are now”.
as soon as it gets on steam g2a steam codes inc right?…lol
…… What?
……….. No?
“Stupid” also serves.
HVD is the new STD
or just the only one with common sense.
lol thats why you want it on steam…lol so you can buy it from g2a…lol
Yeah, that’s right.
Dammit, genius boy over here figured me out.
/facepalm.
yea like you will pay full price of $60 for ms exclusives from steam….please…g2a inc.
i am actually impressed of how far they are coming to the pc community and i am just glad i get to see some of the exclusives and you bet ya i will spend my money!!! as long as sli and some more bugs get fixed … please don’t compare steam !!! Steam is benn around for over a decade how can they be on the same level ??? remember when steam sucked????
GOG Galaxy is still in beta and is leagues beyond the joke that is the Windows Store, and doesn’t have its games restricted by an anti-competitive framework like UWP.
This guy is completely out of touch with PC gamers.Urgh..
1. “I don’t think Valve’s hurt by not having our first-party games in their store…”
2. “…we compete”
3. “The end result is better for gamers”
Ridiculous statement after ridiculous statement.
1. Valve don’t give a f*kc if ms put their games in steam or not, they make a sh1-tload of moneys anyways, the gamers and microsoft themselves are the one who are missing out in this situation, many gamers dont get to play the games and ms is missing on some serious cash.
2. He talks about competition, i call it bullsh_1t. The only reason ms store would have a chance is because they are trying so hard to force it to us.
3. Nonsense, he has no clue what he’s talking about. It would be better for gamers if they put their games in all stores so we have options.
Ms doesn’t deserve our hard earned money people, just let this uwp crap die a slow death
For point 3: Look at it from a business perspective. Would shareholders like it if MS put their first party (formerly xbox exclusive) games on another platform, diminishing the xbox brand in favour of PC? Putting it on the MS store is the only way they can justify porting their first party xbox games (these were part of the xbox division) to PC. It’s a win for PC gamers, and a punt on investor faith.
Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if it was investors pushing for this, considering how poorly the Xbox One’s been selling compared to the PlayStation 4.
They invested a lot of money into the Xbox One, & all those exclusives in turn, but the return so far’s been negligible. How far-fetched does it really seem, that someone would suggest “hey you know, porting an Xbox game to PC…. that’s easy & cheap!” “Really?” “Yeah!” “Oh, okay then, let’s do it…. I mean, if our exclusives aren’t selling, then why not try something else? I mean, all this is mostly about keeping these games off of Sony’s PlayStation anyway, right?”
Why would anyone buy ANYTHING on the windows store after the disaster that was GFWL and the content wipe when it went under. I lost all my games and DLC purchases in that, they are just… gone.
No STEAM, no buy!
Im about to uninstall Origin, Uplay and GOG…
why GOG?
Because some “steam zealots” want Steam monopoly. Single shop on PC with expensive games. No competition is allowed. Strange 🙂
Idiot, read properly first, then reply.
I bet your dad works for MS
Cause I have so few games there and no plaining to buy anymore on it!
goVEGAN
Remove Microsoft from the equation here and I gotta wonder why you are adamant about only buying games tied to a specific DRM platform? Regardless of how you may feel about about a specific publisher or not, I thought one of the big benifits of pc gaming was choice. If you only believe it getting your content if its tied to 1 source you really might as well be a console gamer. Is it really that hard to click on another icon, (or in the case of gog) just clicking the executable. I thought PC gamers where supposed to have a general higher level of competency than that. I’d hate to see how you’d handle installing or running a pc game back in the day when you had to change directories in dos, list out the contents and type in the executable.
I own a PS4, PS3 and PC since 2013.
Im just a player…I dont care about PC gaming or that DRM fallacy!
And STEAM is good enough by itself. Altough I like GOG galaxy!
PS: Linux Mint user too! haha
goVEGAN
Man I gotta admit you kind of a strange guy, but I like ya. You showed me this cool chart of teeth once, I think it was like predators vs carnivores or something, but was pretty neat.
When it comes to games, I’m of the camp you should play the games that you think is fun, everything else, the platform , method of delivery or companies rep is secondary to that.
haha, We all love games in the end !
Those were the days my man!!
That galaxy…but is pretty fine and elegant! liked it!
I kinda feel for Phil Spencer. It’s his job to be the face of PR for Microsoft’s gaming division, and has to spin Microsoft’s utter lack of market competency and totally confused mixed messaging as something solid and consumer-friendly, which (as we all know) it just isn’t.
Kudos to him for basically doing his job incredibly well in spite of, well, y’know, being a senior PR figure for Microsoft.
as soon as it hits steam g2a steam codes are inc.dont do it phil there goes your pc profit.
The Windows Store will never compete with Steam. Most publishers know fine well to avoid it and stick with Steam. Why do you think the only game on there that doesn’t have MS as it’s publisher is a game that’s also on Steam?
I feel bad for those developers who want good sales but have Microsoft Studios as their publisher who force their games on the Windows 10 Store.
Well Phil, everybody hates Windows 10 and Windows store as they suck balls. Release ALL games on Steam in W7/8/10 and maybe someone will give a f*ck! Nobody wants Windows 10 NSA PRISM edition you know!
All this PR vomit
Being a game developer, I can see the appeal of the windows store. Its unified between the xbox and windows, so you don’t have to make many, if any edits to your code. However, it seems more worth it to sell on steam. A much larger userbase and potential sales for only a little more effort on my part.
Not to mention Steamworks (& the Steam Community features as a whole) are a lot better than the Xbox stuff they’re porting over to UWP.
If we really want to get into comparing store features.
I wasn’t comparing store features. I personally do not care about steam community features. And I’ve never once had to work with the steamworks sdk. I’m nit the guy that does that, so I can’t comment on it.
No yeah, but it’s worth noting that the Community does appreciate features like that.
Though don’t get me wrong, I also see the unified platform PoV.
It could speed up development time. I think we’re going to test out UWP in addition to steam and Sony’s store.
Sony Store? The PSN? (just checking)
Correct. I just typically call it Sony storepage. A term I picked up a long time ago for some reason..
it’s their right to keep their games on their store BUT Valve could have destroyed both Sony and Microsoft’s exclusive nonsense by now if they wanted to by releasing their games on PC only. look at the damage the likes of Dota 2 did alone to console market. good thing GabeN thinks long term unlike them
” I don’t think Valve’s hurt by not having our first-party games in their store right now. ”
I’ve not seen a single person say something this stupid, does he think we all care whether Valve makes an extra buck? The Winstore is garbage and so is UWP.
Quantum Break will be exclusive to Windows Store??
They didn’t say which games they’ll be permitting on Steam, & which they won’t.
Either way, in Quantum Break’s case it also depends on if their contract with Microsoft stipulates absolute exclusivity, in which case yes, it’ll be UWP-exclusive forever.
If it stipulates timed exclusivity on the other hand, then no. If so however, we won’t know for a while, since they’ll have a clause that doesn’t permit them to say if it’s timed-exclusive or not until it’s nearing the end, or expired completely.
I’ll believe it when I see it is all I can say. I’m always sceptical when it comes to Microsoft.
i’m okay if they do something like Uplay.
I will never, ever buy a UWP title. You aren’t competing with Steam Phil. A UWP game is basically a console game, and I am a PC gamer.
LOOOL Damage control
lol at all these cry babys in the comments thinking they have a right to tell MS what to do with games that THEY FUNDED AND MADE! sure MS sucks and i rather have all these games on steam, but you guys dont even want the games or support buying pc games. you just want them to
a)be piratable
b)want them on steam just so you can make memes about how win10 store failed like GFWL
or
c)just to troll MS
just buy the games and support MS if you want more great games on PC like i do.
is that you bill gates? always good to see you slumming it here with us 😉