Windows 10 might herald a gaming revolution

Mar 9, 2015 15:09 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft made some waves at GDC 2015 last week with its special panel concerning gaming on the PC and Xbox One platforms, confirming that the universal Windows 10 store will have cross-buy for applications and games, while detailing other features brought forth by the major operating system, such as DirectX 10 or Xbox Live integration.

Some of these things were known, or at least rumored for some time now, but seeing them officially presented by Xbox division boss Phil Spencer shows just how much Microsoft wants to expand when it comes to gaming on the PC, while solidifying the Xbox One console with new features and functionality.

Cross-buy is important these days

A few years ago, you had a console or a PC and maybe in some cases you played on both, depending on the game's availability or where you preferred to do most of your gaming. However, as Sony has already proved with cross-buy on the PS3, PS4, or PS Vita, people nowadays have more than one device and they use all of them at different points in time.

As such, PlayStation titles that have cross-buy allow gamers access to that experience no matter the platform, as you can start playing on a PS3 at your friend's house, continue playing on the PS Vita, and then jump to the PS4 in your living room.

Cross-buy between PC and Xbox One benefits not only those that prefer playing on one of those two platforms, but also entice people to try out the other platform, all thanks to the Windows 10 operating system.

I prefer playing on a PC, but if I develop a library of titles that are available on the Xbox One as well, I might be tempted to get the console and set it up in the living room, provided Valve's Steam service won't make for a compelling alternative.

The other features are also looking very good

Windows 10 has got me excited not just through the aforementioned cross-buy mechanic but also through its other features, chief among which being DirectX 12. I don't have the most powerful of computers out there, so I take game performance increases wherever I can find them. Spencer put out a broad 20% performance boost recorded on some games while running in DirectX 12 as opposed to DirectX 11, and that's quite big.

As such, I have yet another great reason to finally transition from Windows 7 to the new operating system. Xbox One users should also find a performance increase once the new OS rolls around, so they also have reasons to look forward to its debut this year.

Universal applications are also quite intriguing, as without a doubt Microsoft is going to curate the Windows Store and make sure that great experiences arrive that will be available across PC, Xbox One, tablets, or phones. While I'm far from being embedded into the Windows ecosystem as I don't have a Lumia phone or a Surface tablet, I'm still excited about what interesting things might appear when it comes to the universal nature of these new applications.

Xbox Live as a community doesn't have the best of reputations, but this doesn't mean that online infrastructure, its cloud computing features, or its various other mechanics won't enrich Windows 10 PC games. The special Xbox Live SDK is also being rolled out right now for developers and it's going to be interesting to see how games will take advantage of these services to enhance games and even bring out multi-platform experiences like Fable Legends.

Overall, as I've mentioned above, I'm quite excited as a gamer for Windows 10, as Microsoft has the potential to really improve the industry through the operating system and all its features. Hopefully, things will turn out as expected and everyone will be happy.