14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has revealed the first wave of games that will be available under the Xbox Windows brand for its upcoming Windows 8 operating system, including a variety of rather impressive titles that already appeared on mobile platforms, like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, or Jetpack Joyride.
Windows 8 is Microsoft's next PC operating system and its array of changes have already caused a generally negative opinion in the games industry, mainly due to the closed nature of its integrated App Store.
While many gamers have already formed an opinion about the new OS, Microsoft is betting big on the integration of Xbox services into the software, culminating with support for the Xbox Live online service.
In order to have everything under the same roof, so to say, games for Windows 8 with Live functionality will be marketed under the Xbox Windows brand.
The first wave of titles that will boast this name have now been revealed by Microsoft and the list, which you can find below, boasts quite a lot of casual and mobile, like Angry Birds or Jetpack Joyride, but also Mahjong, Solitaire, or Minesweeper.
4 Elements II Special Edition A World of Keflings Adera: Episode 1 Adera: Episode 2 Adera: Episode 3 Angry Birds Angry Birds Space Big Buck Hunter Pro BlazBlue Calamity Trigger Collateral Damage Crash Course GO Cut the Rope Disney Fairies Dragon's Lair Field & Stream Fishing Fruit Ninja Gravity Guy Gunstringer: Dead Man Running Hydro Thunder Hurricane IloMilo iStunt 2 Jetpack Joyride Kinectimals Unleashed Microsoft Mahjong Microsoft Minesweeper Microsoft Solitaire Collection Monster Island Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Pinball FX 2 Reckless Racing Ultimate Rocket Riot 3D Shark Dash Shuffle Party Skulls of the Shogun Taptiles Team Crossword The Harvest HD Toy Soldiers Cold War Wordament Zombies!!!
All these games will be playable on any Windows 8-powered PC, laptop, or tablet, and boast support for achievements and other such things.
Some, like Mahjong or Solitaire will be bundled with Windows 8 while others can be purchased from the App Store.
Expect more games to be announced under the Xbox Windows brand in the near future.