What I'd really like to see is total PC convergence..and an upgrade to the Windows Xbox app that behaves like the console UI and provide an even better store than GOG or Steam (or fully utilize them). I hope this is the last gen of consoles. MS has everything already to come out on top if/when that happens. They simply don't combine them. Same goes for media playback. Having all XB features on PC would be great.
This is already happening. Microsoft's
Xbox Play Anywhere initiative does a lot to make Xbox and Windows converge. In this generation where they do not sell consoles at loss any more, Microsoft is in a very good place to try and converge platforms, as Sony (and to lesser degree, Nintendo) are unable to compete.
Media playback situation is pure idiocy through and through. Netflix UHD has specific stupid requirements from computer. (HDR) UHD Bluray has even more specific and expensive requirements and all this is DRM. There is no good technical reason for any of this.
If only they could get things with their store together. It's incredibly awful both on Xbox and Windows. I don't know about US, UK or other supported locations but I live in a place that does not exist for Microsoft. This adds another layer of crap to dealing with Microsoft's Stores. I would really hate Microsoft to try and monopolise their Store though. Although inconvenient, all the different competing digital download (and DRM
) platforms on PC are a good thing.
I have been wondering for a while why doesn't Microsoft try to somehow try to leverage Windows and build in some platform-agnostic games launcher/system. My Games in Vista/7 was a step in that direction that they abandoned. Xbox app is a different take on the same problem but limited to Xbox/Microsoft Store. The problem is it cannot be tied to any platform including theit own store but has to be with an API available for everyone to work. No chance of getting something like that I guess.