Xbox boss Phil Spencer has big, somewhat vague plans for the relationship between Xbox and Windows, especially the Windows 10 OS. Spencer recently hinted at the possibility of PC-like upgrades to Xbox consoles, though he assures Xbox One owners they shouldn’t break out their screwdrivers just yet.
The shift comes on the heels of multiple Xbox One titles being announced for release on Windows 10 platforms, chief among them Quantum Break. Microsoft remains adamant they are still fully committed to the Xbox brand despite this sudden PC focus.
To further assuage fears of Xbox somehow losing its identity as a console, Spencer addressed the platform’s relationship with Windows in a recent talk with IGN.
“We’re committed to bringing our biggest franchises to Xbox and Windows,” he said. “We’ve said that. [That] doesn’t mean, necessarily, that every game ends up on both platforms, because there could be some differences in the play space and how things play.”
Spencer echoed this sentiment in a separate interview with PC Gamer.
“I wouldn’t say our strategy is to unify,” he said, “because when I hear ‘unify’ I worry a bit that people will interpret, my own teams included, ‘Hey, we just want to say a game is a game and all games should run everywhere.’
“What I want to make sure is that gamers on our platforms,” he continued, “you feel like you have access to as many games as you can, and as a developer you feel like you have the tools and service to reach as many gamers as you can.”
In other words, plenty of Xbox franchises, including Halo, will remain exclusive to the console. Furthermore, Spencer argues expanding into the Windows space will only benefit Xbox One owners. As the entire ecosystem expands and attracts more developers, he said, Xbox One owners will find themselves with more games to play. So the flow of games works both ways: Windows 10 titles will also bolster the ranks of Xbox.
