Microsoft wants to bring Xbox Game Pass to ‘any gaming device’

Microsoft wants to bring Xbox Game Pass game subscription to ‘any device anyone wants to play on’. So says Phil Spencer, CEO of the Xbox division. This allows users to play the games without having to have an Xbox or PC.

That’s what Spencer says in an interview with Geekwire. Ultimately, according to Geekwire, the goal is for people to be able to play Microsoft games not only on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, but also on smartphones and tablets. Later, the games should even be playable on competing consoles.

This could eliminate an argument for choosing the Microsoft consoles. Games that only come out for one platform can be a decisive reason to choose a particular console. Still, Spencer isn’t worried about that.

“Consoles are not where you make money. The business side of video games is really selling video games. Selling access to games and content is at the heart of the business. So the more you open up access to your games, the more people can play. That increases your business.”

Xbox Game Pass is a game subscription that gives Xbox One users access to over 100 games. The subscription costs ten euros per month. Xbox Play Anywhere titles are now also available for Windows PCs. Users must download the games before they can be played. So it is not a streaming service. Microsoft is working on that, under the name Project xCloud.

Spencer also discusses the difficulties of binding publishers to xCloud in the article. For example, Geekwire writes that critics say that you reduce the financial value of content when available via a subscription for streams. Spencer says that a subscription model can help publishers by allowing more people to interact with the games. “Not all players want to spend $60 to play something they’ve never heard of before.”

Spencer doesn’t give many details about xCloud. It is not yet clear how much it will cost and when it will be available. Microsoft has said that ‘public trials’ will be available later this year. With the service, players will soon be able to play games on their phone. The servers for xCloud contain Xbox components.

In addition to Game Pass and xCloud, the games division has another multi-platform project underway. Windows Central wrote last month that Microsoft wants to roll out Xbox Live more widely to Android, iOS and the Nintendo Switch. Minecraft players can already log in to those platforms via Xbox Live, but that should apply to more games in the future. Developers can then bring achievements, friend lists and multiplayer to mobile devices and the Switch.

That information was briefly online on the developer conference site GDC. It is therefore expected that Microsoft will provide more information about the plans at the conference. The Xbox Live session is scheduled for March 20.