Xbox's Phil Spencer Assuages Fears Of Console, PC Merger

Microsoft's announcement of Quantum Break's PC availability, and the eventual pull out of the game from the Windows Store, has been something of a mess. While it is great news (though not completely) for PC gamers, those on the Xbox side of the fence have started murmuring and questioning. Is Microsoft's stronger PC gaming push and its equally strong Windows 10 push on the Xbox a sign of troubling times for the console? Is Microsoft unifying the console and the PC? Phil Spencer says "no", though a bit ambiguously.

What he really said was "I wouldn't say our strategy is to unify", because the term is obviously worrying some console fans. Short of coming up with a better word for it, Spencer simply says that Microsoft's goal is to let games be games, and that they should run everywhere. At least everywhere that makes sense. It still sends some mixed messages that will unlikely allay worries of console gamers. But, at least officially, Microsoft is saying it isn't doing so.

However, console gaming itself is changing and the junction between console and PC gaming is growing larger. And, ironically, Microsoft is partly responsible for that. The Xbox One is practically a PC custom-fitted for a dedicated gaming purpose. Windows 10 running on the Xbox One is setting the stage for bringing even desktop apps to the console. And, in fact, Microsoft has been pushing games to use API and technologies like DirectX 12 and Windows 10 APIs that bridge the two worlds.

For now, there is still a clear demarcation between PC and console that even Microsoft can't bridge yet. There are still games that are best viewed on a screen a few feet away, and some that are best within less than two. PC games by nature should support keyboard and mouse while console games barely know those devices, though the boundaries also blur there a bit. And gaming consoles are still instant-on appliances versus the multi-purpose computing machines that are PCs.

But even in PC gaming, Microsoft still has a lot of work to do if it wants gamers to flock to its Windows Store versus, say Steam or its ilk. Windows Store apps are practically sandboxed software that exclude the possibility of external add ons and modifications, things that are near and dear to the hearts of PC gamers. Spencer does acknowledge those problems. The good news is that they are also working on it.

Xbox fans can at least rest easy for now. For the time being, they still have the upper hand.

SOURCE: PC Gamer