Xbox Chief Admits Microsoft Has "A Ton of Work to Do on Windows" for PC Gamers

Megalith

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Xbox chief Phil Spencer has admitted that the Windows Store isn’t very good and is in the process of doing what he can to fix it. PC gamers who are interested in testing Microsoft’s first-party games will have to endure it for the time being, since those titles are usually exclusive to that storefront. “Windows is something I’m very committed to, I’ve heard the feedback about our Store. I’m going to take a bigger leadership role on what’s going on with the Windows Store, make it really tailored to the gamers that we know want to see the best from what we have to offer.”

There’s clearly a lot of work to be done to improve the PC gaming experience on Windows, and Spencer’s hints show that Microsoft has heard the feedback loud and clear. Steam dominates distribution of games on PC, and Microsoft has started publishing some of its first-party games there. Titles like Forza Horizon 4 and Sea of Thieves are still only available on the Microsoft Store, while Quantum Break made it to Steam two years ago.
 
Hey remember when Microsoft had games for windows and everyone said it sucked? And remember when Microsoft said they heard the complaints and they were gonna fix it? And then remember when it kept getting worse and people complained more? And remember when Microsoft said they heard the new complaints and they were gonna double down on fixing it? And then remember when it kept getting worse and people complained more? And remember when Microsoft finally killed it broke a lot of games? And then remember when Microsoft rolled out the widows store and it sucked and people complained?

Don't worry guys. Microsoft will definitely fix it.
 
Hey remember when Microsoft had games for windows and everyone said it sucked? And remember when Microsoft said they heard the complaints and they were gonna fix it? And then remember when it kept getting worse and people complained more? And remember when Microsoft said they heard the new complaints and they were gonna double down on fixing it? And then remember when it kept getting worse and people complained more? And remember when Microsoft finally killed it broke a lot of games? And then remember when Microsoft rolled out the widows store and it sucked and people complained?

Don't worry guys. Microsoft will definitely fix it.

Xbox Play Anywhere games..... simple as that.

Edit: And no, I do not remember those times because I bought my games on disk, not digitally, in those days. The hand full of games that did use Games for Windows Live that I had can still be played today. (Bioshock games and even the Gears of War for PC, if I wanted too.)
 
Remove the Windows Store. It sucks. Make your OS barebones and not full of advertisements and bloatware.

Nope to removing the Windows Store. Play Anywhere games are a big deal, at least since I have an Xbox One X and do not have to buy those games that support it twice. (If you want to remove the store, use Windows 7, simple as that.)
 
Port your games to PC first then we'll talk about how much work Microsoft has to do for PC gamers.
 
I was checking out car games a while back, and after being a bit disappointed with the car physics in project cars two, I started checking out forza videos, said cool I’ll pony up $60 for it. Tried to buy it, redirects me to the windows store, the app attempts to start, fails to connect or something, and gives me an error. Tried buying it for like 30 minutes straight before giving up completely
 
IF Spencer is able to get the Windows Store fixed, cool. I wonder how much his leadership role there will matter though. Unless they're giving him complete autonomy to do what he needs to fix the store I wonder if the people in charge of the Windows division or the folks at the top of the company will get in the way to make their own demands and keep thee store as much of a pain in the ass as it is now.
 
Nope to removing the Windows Store. Play Anywhere games are a big deal, at least since I have an Xbox One X and do not have to buy those games that support it twice. (If you want to remove the store, use Windows 7, simple as that.)

You do understand this is a Microsoft limitation to force people their (IMO terrible) store, right?

Steam, GoG, Origin have all been offering multi platform single licenses for years, it's only that Microsoft (and Sony / Nintendo) don't allow it.

Edit: The one title I digitally own that had Play Anywhere (Astroneer) I actively bought on Steam and lost the ability to play on my Xbox, just so I didn't have to use the MS store.
 
He says this every 6-12 months. And he follows a long tradition of MS reps claiming this since 2001 when Xbox launched. There was a guy on the forum here that had collected all the times MS has said "We're going to do better for PC gaming" and it was no joke every year since 2001. Wish I could find it again.

The Windows 8 & 10 store has now existed for around 7 years. If they truly gave a shit, then they would have already given a shit. A company with MS's vast capital and resources could've easily made a store into what guys like Phil always claim they want it to be. They just don't care, and the biannual "We're going to do better for PC gamers" is a running joke at this point. Sad but true.

The only real question I have is why he bothers to say anything? I suppose it's that he gets asked in an interview, and he just defaults to that response, and then it makes headlines again.
 
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No one gives a shit about the windows store, period. You can buy a game anywhere, anytime, instantly with no hassle, However, since the xbox one x is pretty much a midrange gaming pc, and their next iteration will undoubtedly follow suit, he's been tasked with bringing the pc gaming market into the msft fold. I really don't see how this will ever happen, it's a currently a ton of hoops to jump through. Just getting and playing the Sea of Thieves beta was like pulling fucking teeth through the windows xbox app, don't even want to think about even using it again.
 
Right now there is no reason to use Windows Store.

It has no good exclusives, it has no price advantage. There's no reason to go there, and no reason to buy anything there even if you did.

While the Store needs work without question, there are plenty of reasons to obtain at least some things there. There are things like Forza, service apps like Netflix (4k and 5.1 audio are both only possible with the app as well as local downloads), even some decent productivity apps like Xodo, a VERY good PDF reader/light editor.

It's just that I hear people say "No reason to use the Store." a lot and there are actually a number of things I use and do that can't be done other ways. It's not like by using the Store I can't use Steam, Origin, etc.
 
You do understand this is a Microsoft limitation to force people their (IMO terrible) store, right?

Steam, GoG, Origin have all been offering multi platform single licenses for years, it's only that Microsoft (and Sony / Nintendo) don't allow it.

Edit: The one title I digitally own that had Play Anywhere (Astroneer) I actively bought on Steam and lost the ability to play on my Xbox, just so I didn't have to use the MS store.

Good for you except for one thing, those "multi platform" things you mentioned are not multi platform at all, they are all on one single platform, the PC. Therefore, they have not been offering multiplat stuff at all and never have. Nice try but it is not my problem that you do not own and Xbox One X.

No, it is not a Microsoft Limitation to force anyone into anything. Otherwise, might as well just say the same thing of Steam. Yes, Play Anywhere titles are a big deal and I appreciate them. Amazing how it is, I have them and still *SHOCK* *SURPRISE* have games from other services as well.

Multiple options are good and having this is good. Unlike the Android and iOS only crap or no phone at all.
 
This topic is exclusively about games, not Netflix and PDF readers.

This was in response to the point that "There's no reason to use the Windows Store." There was no qualification for type of software in the post I was responding to.
 
There isn't? Good luck then, sounds like a personal problem to me.
People hate Apple for their "walled garden" app store because everyone is locked into it.
Yet somehow this is ok for Microsoft to pull on their loyal customers?

The bottom-line for this isn't functionality or convenience for us end-users - you can save that bullshit for Microsoft's ad campaign - it is primarily so that Microsoft can lock users into their own "walled garden" and will no longer have to pay Valve, or anyone else for that matter, any licensing or use fees for their 3rd party platforms to host their games and will have 100% of the profits and 100% lock-in with end-users.
Once this is all said and done, anyone using Microsoft software and products will then be fully locked into the same "walled garden" that Apple users are in now.

So really, Microsoft wants to be Apple, but once again, they are way late to the game and history has, again, repeated itself.
This makes sense for Microsoft to make additional profits, but at the end of the day, we the end-users and loyal customers will now be locked into Microsoft's proprietary Store, and believe me - there will be no going back.

Based on Microsoft's history with gamers and games in general since the early 2000s, I cannot logically see how anyone would want this to transpire.
 
So really, Microsoft wants to be Apple, but once again, they are way late to the game and history has, again, repeated itself.

There's nothing in the Store that can't be distributed another way, even UWPs don't have to go only through the Store. That Microsoft decides to distribute some of its own stuff only through the Store, well look at how many folks don't want to cough up 30% to a third party these days.
 
Good for you except for one thing, those "multi platform" things you mentioned are not multi platform at all, they are all on one single platform, the PC. Therefore, they have not been offering multiplat stuff at all and never have. Nice try but it is not my problem that you do not own and Xbox One X.

No, it is not a Microsoft Limitation to force anyone into anything. Otherwise, might as well just say the same thing of Steam. Yes, Play Anywhere titles are a big deal and I appreciate them. Amazing how it is, I have them and still *SHOCK* *SURPRISE* have games from other services as well.

Multiple options are good and having this is good. Unlike the Android and iOS only crap or no phone at all.

Haha so I actually typed and deleted *waits for ManofGod to reply and heartlesssun to like* but deleted it, at least you (two?) are predictable

You're saying that Windows, macOS and Linux are not three separate platforms? Owning all three, I disagree.

As for not being a Microsoft limitation, are you saying that if Steam or Origin wanted to cross license games that Microsoft would be on board with that? You can't possibly be *that* delusional, right? Right??? Steam has shown its interest in doing this (I believe there was talk or perhaps some actual activity with cross licensing on PSN, I assume it either got canned or never took off), so I doubt it's the 'PC' companies that would want to limit their marketshare by not selling on closed platforms.

Edit: Also, I do own an Xbox One, 3 of them in fact, I even inferred that in my post so might be worth re-reading it ("play on my Xbox")
 
A.This is the "Year of Linux on the Desktop for All"

B.This is the year "Microsoft truly cares about PC Gamers"

C.The Sun goes SuperNova.

Which happens first.

(seriously they thought Sea of Thieves would make the Windows Store a huge must have , blockbuster title , that's all you really have to know about MS and understanding PC Gamers)
 
Haha so I actually typed and deleted *waits for ManofGod to reply and heartlesssun to like* but deleted it, at least you (two?) are predictable

You're saying that Windows, macOS and Linux are not three separate platforms? Owning all three, I disagree.

As for not being a Microsoft limitation, are you saying that if Steam or Origin wanted to cross license games that Microsoft would be on board with that? You can't possibly be *that* delusional, right? Right??? Steam has shown its interest in doing this (I believe there was talk or perhaps some actual activity with cross licensing on PSN, I assume it either got canned or never took off), so I doubt it's the 'PC' companies that would want to limit their marketshare by not selling on closed platforms.

Edit: Also, I do own an Xbox One, 3 of them in fact, I even inferred that in my post so might be worth re-reading it ("play on my Xbox")

Huh?
 
People hate Apple for their "walled garden" app store because everyone is locked into it.
Yet somehow this is ok for Microsoft to pull on their loyal customers?

The bottom-line for this isn't functionality or convenience for us end-users - you can save that bullshit for Microsoft's ad campaign - it is primarily so that Microsoft can lock users into their own "walled garden" and will no longer have to pay Valve, or anyone else for that matter, any licensing or use fees for their 3rd party platforms to host their games and will have 100% of the profits and 100% lock-in with end-users.
Once this is all said and done, anyone using Microsoft software and products will then be fully locked into the same "walled garden" that Apple users are in now.

So really, Microsoft wants to be Apple, but once again, they are way late to the game and history has, again, repeated itself.
This makes sense for Microsoft to make additional profits, but at the end of the day, we the end-users and loyal customers will now be locked into Microsoft's proprietary Store, and believe me - there will be no going back.

Based on Microsoft's history with gamers and games in general since the early 2000s, I cannot logically see how anyone would want this to transpire.

You keep making this claim of being locked in to this store and yet I see no evidence of that at all. Yes, they want to make a profit. Yes, they would like it if more games where sold through their store. So, when is Valve going to be forced to sell their Half Life games and other games through GOG and the Microsoft store? Guess some walled gardens are ok, by your definition.o_O:rolleyes:
 
It's a walled garden with nothing but rotten turnips in it , that's for sure.
 
A.This is the "Year of Linux on the Desktop for All"

B.This is the year "Microsoft truly cares about PC Gamers"

C.The Sun goes SuperNova.

Which happens first.

(seriously they thought Sea of Thieves would make the Windows Store a huge must have , blockbuster title , that's all you really have to know about MS and understanding PC Gamers)

The ironic thing about this though is when it comes to gaming platforms what's really better than Windows? From the amount of content to the variety of tech that Windows games can run, nothing comes close.
 
As for not being a Microsoft limitation, are you saying that if Steam or Origin wanted to cross license games that Microsoft would be on board with that? You can't possibly be *that* delusional, right? Right??? Steam has shown its interest in doing this (I believe there was talk or perhaps some actual activity with cross licensing on PSN, I assume it either got canned or never took off), so I doubt it's the 'PC' companies that would want to limit their marketshare by not selling on closed platforms.

Edit: Also, I do own an Xbox One, 3 of them in fact, I even inferred that in my post so might be worth re-reading it ("play on my Xbox")

What? So, Microsoft has control over whether Origin and Steam decided to cross license between themselves? Or doing so on the PS? You may want to look up that definition of delusional.

Edit: I also know what I own and what I am able to use, without issue on both my Xbox One and PC, without having to buy it twice.

Also, still waiting for the almighty Steam Valve Gaben support phone number. Oh I found it, 1-800-WAAAAAAAAAAA! :D ;)
 
You keep making this claim of being locked in to this store and yet I see no evidence of that at all. Yes, they want to make a profit. Yes, they would like it if more games where sold through their store. So, when is Valve going to be forced to sell their Half Life games and other games through GOG and the Microsoft store? Guess some walled gardens are ok, by your definition.o_O:rolleyes:
Judging by Microsoft's history, I would use Valve or GOG any day over their Store, at least for games.
The second post in this very thread was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Microsoft's bad and/or shady history when it comes to gaming.

What "bad history" does Valve and GOG have?
Yes, some walled gardens are better than others, without a shadow of a doubt.
 
But the Store IS NOT A WALLED GARDEN. You guys are not getting the memo.
Yet.
The Store is not a walled garden yet, and that is the warning we are trying to give to everyone here if Microsoft gets their way.

Things in 2028, if Microsoft has their way, will certainly be far worse off for both the consumer and the developer than it is now in 2018.
I don't think the Store itself is bad, assuming it stays the way it now without any vendor or user lockout of 3rd party software, like Steam.

When, not if, that happens, we the consumers will be in a world of hurt, and more than just financially-speaking.
That's the point I am trying to make. :)
 
Judging by Microsoft's history, I would use Valve or GOG any day over their Store, at least for games.

And I have no problem with this thought process. But Steam, GOG and even the Microsoft Store are not walled gardens. Don't like the Microsoft Store, don't want to use it, fine. But not a walled garden.
 
Yet.
The Store is not a walled garden yet, and that is the warning we are trying to give to everyone here if Microsoft gets their way.
I purchased two of the Forza racing games (great direct X 12 games)... Wanted to re install on another computer. Took me 1 hour to finally find where I could download and install it again.... still not sure how I found it or if I could find it again. The site looks good but just not user friendly.
 

I am sorry, I cannot hear you, what did you say? :D I think I will play through Gears of War 4 once I complete Wolfenstein: Old Blood. I finally completed 2 games in a row which I have not done since forever. All on Windows 10 with a 144hz Samsung 27 inch 1080p curved monitor. With my headset, I am very much enjoying it.
 
Yet.
The Store is not a walled garden yet, and that is the warning we are trying to give to everyone here if Microsoft gets their way.

Perhaps. But the single greatest strength of Windows of the desktop is its 3rd party support for all sorts of things. For all of the issues that Windows 10 has, the amount of hardware and software support is incredible. Without that support even folks like me who are considered Microsoft apologists by some would have little reason to use it.
 
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