Could Microsoft and Steam be Looking Into Enabling Crossplay Between Services?

[Raevenlord]

Crossplay has become an interesting point of contention for the industry, with some very popular games and companies advocating for a unified, non-fractured player audience enjoying their games across different media consumption screens, and even gaming platforms. Microsoft has been pushing this kind of capability for some time now, launching their Xbox Play Anywhere initiative which aims to bring PC, Xbox (or both) gamers to parity - acquiring a game on one platform equals having it on both, with all game data being synced.

A new update in the Steam beta update code explicitly refers to Xbox, with an "Xbox_pairwise_id" being present, which could point towards exploration of a future feature. Microsoft adding keyboard and mouse support to their Xbox consoles, news of a new streaming-based console for Microsoft's xCloud efforts, and Steam already offering controller support are some of the little details that could make this a winning bet for both companies.





As much as Microsoft would want, they can't push for crossplay alone with their services between Xbox Live and the Windows 10 UWP store - reception, usage, and overall penetration of it in the market is negligible compared to Steam, which practically dominates the PC gaming platform field. A partnership between the two companies would be, in a way, in both companies' best interests: it would give Microsoft access to Steam's vast amounts of gamers that are already sort of "locked in" to the platform due to their library size (and habit, let's face it) while giving Steam an ace in the hole against its competitors (GOG is a different beast, but the EPIC store could start biting Steam, in time).

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[m4dn355]

So Epic games could be joining forces with SONY

 

[StrayKAT]

So Epic games could be joining forces with SONY

Cool. In both cases, gamers win.

Why Microsoft never bought out Steam though is beyond me (even Gabe was a MS employee once, I think). I keep pounding the drumbeat that MS needs to focus a lot more on PC gaming.... That would be their easiest ticket in. And would sure as hell put any contenders dead in the water.

 

[Eric3988]

Cool. In both cases, gamers win.

Why Microsoft never bought out Steam though is beyond me (even Gabe was a MS employee once, I think). I keep pounding the drumbeat that MS needs to focus a lot more on PC gaming.... That would be their easiest ticket in. And would sure as hell put any contenders dead in the water.

I'm glad M$ didn't buy Steam. As good as M$ is, they do make a lot of questionable decisions and not everything they do pans out. Let's bring on the cross play as long as the cheating doesn't get out of hand. Cheating has largely ruined multiplayer PC FPS games for me.

 

[Ravenmaster]

The more cross-play the better. Gamers unite!

 

[Steevo]

The more cross-play the better. Gamers unite!

More like KB/M player slaughter those with controllers. I bet they change the hitbox or something to level the playing field depending on which input is determined to be used.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I suspect it has less to do with "cross-play" and more to do with casting Steam to Xbox One consoles. Explains why they're getting rid of the Steam Link.

 

[BakerMan1971]

for controller based games like Rocketleague I would love to team up with all platforms.

 

[bug]

If it were my decision, cross-platform game play, social media, instant messaging, app stores and such would be mandated by law.

 

[StrayKAT]

If it were my decision, cross-platform game play, social media, instant messaging, app stores and such would be mandated by law.

So basically... one OS to rule them all?

Because it's impossible even with 3 dominating OSes (which is still very small compared to the old days).

 

[bug]

So basically... one OS to rule them all?

Because it's impossible even with 3 dominating OSes (which is still very small compared to the old days).

No, basically no walled garden allowed.

 

[lexluthermiester]

This is a disaster waiting to happen.. Just not a great idea..

 

[bug]

This is a disaster waiting to happen.. Just not a great idea..

Why would you say that?
I'm asking because I'm buying exclusively from GOG and there are a few titles I wish I could play with friends that have bought off Steam.

Plus, from an engineer's point of view, interoperability is always preferable.

 

[lexluthermiester]

(@bug Just in case you thought I was directly responding to you, it wasn't meant that way or you would have been quoted, which is why the quote function exists. I was commenting about the main article)

I'm asking because I'm buying exclusively from GOG and there are a few titles I wish I could play with friends that have bought off Steam.

That's GOG and Steam, not Steam and MS Store. The world needs anything but an out of control juggernaut that such a partnership would create.

Plus, from an engineer's point of view, interoperability is always preferable.

You'd think, but that's not the point of the article.

 

[bug]

(@bug Just in case you thought I was directly responding to you, it wasn't meant that way or you would have been quoted, which is why the quote function exists. I was commenting about the main article)

That's GOG and Steam, not Steam and MS Store. The world needs anything but an out of control juggernaut that such a partnership would create.

You'd think, but that's not the point of the article.

I still don't see any foul in enabling cross platform game play

 

[lexluthermiester]

I still don't see any foul in enabling cross platform game play

True!