Xbox Exec Promises To Improve PC Gaming

Megalith

Megalith

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This story is based entirely around a tweet with no real specifics, so for all I know, Mr. Spencer was just killing time on the can. But what some gamers are hoping for is that Microsoft will improve games sold through the Windows Store, which have serious limitations in terms of making full use of your graphics hardware.

This isn't the first time Spencer has admitted shortcomings in Microsoft's PC gaming efforts. In June 2015, Spencer acknowledged "we weren't fully committed as a company" to the PC gaming space in recent years. But that is changing now. "I can tell you definitively that our team has never committed more resources to making Windows better for game developers and gamers, and that means any gamer on Windows 10, regardless of storefront or device," Spencer explained at the time.
 
He means they are fully committed to paying lip service to PC gaming as it relates to pushing whatever new OS they have, while not so gently nudging you to whatever console they are currently selling.

It has been this way since the first Xbox launched. Everyone knows this, him talking BS is not going to change that.
 
As always: I'll believe it when I see it. It's great that MS is bringing more games to the PC, but they NEED to fix the issues with the Windows Store or just offer the games on Steam.
 
Is there a convention coming up? Seems like Spencer always makes these types of statements when there's some sort of convention about to occur. Still, like others said, it's all lip service at this point. Until the day they start treating both XBone and PC as the same platform, it's all lip service.
 
it would be nice if they made the whole Halo series available to pc. They would make tons of money. I never liked consoles.
 
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JMccovery said:
Could've sworn this is what GFWL was supposed to do eons ago...
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And it probably could have until the big publishers wanted MS to shove some insanely stupid DRM through it. I used it at first and it wasn't bad at all, you could log into GFWL on your desktop nd then any game would work. Then shortly after you had to log into game specific servers, re-login to GFWL after loading a game (which wouldn't load if you didn't log into GFWL on the desktop!), etc.

Yea it turned into a mess.
 
Trimlock said:
And it probably could have until the big publishers wanted MS to shove some insanely stupid DRM through it. I used it at first and it wasn't bad at all, you could log into GFWL on your desktop nd then any game would work. Then shortly after you had to log into game specific servers, re-login to GFWL after loading a game (which wouldn't load if you didn't log into GFWL on the desktop!), etc.

Yea it turned into a mess.
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I remember performing said ballet dances with both Batman: AA and SF4. Oh god, then moving those games over to Steam...

Damn you Microsoft, for giving me good deals on games tied to something so atrocious.
 
JMccovery said:
I remember performing said ballet dances with both Batman: AA and SF4. Oh god, then moving those games over to Steam...

Damn you Microsoft, for giving me good deals on games tied to something so atrocious.
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That's the problem with MS and their game department, saying NO or giving actual orders.

There has been times when they are too relaxed in their supervision of development and other times they are too scared to say No to just about any publisher. Which results in all of their stuff going to crap sooner or later!
 
One would hope they would sell games on Steam or even Origin, but I doubt they'd do that. At the least, making the Windows Store not so atrocious would be an excellent place to start.
 
This is what, the 11th time I've heard this shit from them? Quit running your mouths and do something about it already!!!
 
With the Xbox becoming a Windows 10 universal app platform, this is sort of a no brainer. Obviously Microsoft wants to grow the Windows Store and make up some of revenue that their losing on consumer end Windows licensing.
 
as a Windows 7 user I'm confused...how does buying games through the Windows Store relate to 'making full use of your graphics hardware'?...I thought Windows Store was like Steam, Uplay, Origin etc and just a digital storefront?...does it lock your graphics settings or something similar?
 
polonyc2 said:
as a Windows 7 user I'm confused...how does buying games through the Windows Store relate to 'making full use of your graphics hardware'?...I thought Windows Store was like Steam, Uplay, Origin etc and just a digital storefront?...does it lock your graphics settings or something similar?
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From Beware! Windows Store games have serious limitations:
  • Games run in borderless fullscreen mode
  • Vsync is always on and cannot be turned off
  • SLI and Crossfire are not supported
  • Games cannot be modified
  • Game overlays are not supported
  • Incompatible with non-Windows 10 operating systems
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Guys, PC gaming is doing extremely well and is very healthy!

You simply need to start calling this a PC

Xbox_One_HP_Image_1.png
 
Pretty simple solution. Never ever buy a game through the Windows store. Just let it die a horrible fiery death like it deserves and maybe just maybe we will get lucky and MS will release the games properly and on Steam. I know thats unlikely . But releasing games on the stupid MS store is as effective as not releasing them at all.
 
Are Spencer's eyes brown? Because he's... aw, heck... nevermind. It doesn't matter.
 
bsbllclown said:
Pretty simple solution. Never ever buy a game through the Windows store. Just let it die a horrible fiery death like it deserves and maybe just maybe we will get lucky and MS will release the games properly and on Steam. I know thats unlikely . But releasing games on the stupid MS store is as effective as not releasing them at all.
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Ive used Windows 10 since launch and Windows 8.1 before it. I haven't touched the Windows Store and I will not in the future.
 
I used the MS store for solitaire, and mine sweeper. It's not windows to me without those installed.
 
Improve PC gaming? The last 5 years have been AWESOME for PC gaming. Seriously, 2004-2011 were the PC dark-ages, we're in the godamn PC sexual revolution renaissance nowadays. There's never been a better time to own a PC!

What is this guy playing to?
 
KazeoHin said:
Improve PC gaming? The last 5 years have been AWESOME for PC gaming. Seriously, 2004-2011 were the PC dark-ages, we're in the godamn PC sexual revolution renaissance nowadays. There's never been a better time to own a PC!

What is this guy playing to?
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Those dark ages, where every company pledged too much money trying to create a WoW competitor/killer...
 
Trimlock said:
Those dark ages, where every company pledged too much money trying to create a WoW competitor/killer...
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And Skyrim showed all the console kiddies one game that was 100% irrefutably better in every aspect on PC. Skyrim acted like the spark that ignited the current PC gaming fire.

I was building gaming PCs back in 2011, and Skyrim gave everyone a boost: SO many people getting their PCs upgraded or buying new PCs completely just because they wanted to play Skyrim. We owe SO much to that ugly, buggy mess of a game: but damn if we aren't in a better time now.
 
KazeoHin said:
And Skyrim showed all the console kiddies one game that was 100% irrefutably better in every aspect on PC. Skyrim acted like the spark that ignited the current PC gaming fire.

I was building gaming PCs back in 2011, and Skyrim gave everyone a boost: SO many people getting their PCs upgraded or buying new PCs completely just because they wanted to play Skyrim. We owe SO much to that ugly, buggy mess of a game: but damn if we aren't in a better time now.
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I really think 2008 was a better year. Everyone was upgrading to dual GPU's just to play Crysis, we then got over loaded by FPS games, but we still had a lot of really good ones like AC and BF3 (I think three came out around then...)

Anyways, yea Skyrim was pretty awesome too. I think game is great now, and has been for quite some time. It isn't so great on the development side though.
 
Trimlock said:
I really think 2008 was a better year. Everyone was upgrading to dual GPU's just to play Crysis, we then got over loaded by FPS games, but we still had a lot of really good ones like AC and BF3 (I think three came out around then...)

Anyways, yea Skyrim was pretty awesome too. I think game is great now, and has been for quite some time. It isn't so great on the development side though.
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Crysis made PC gamers buy new PCs.

Skyrim made Console gamers buy new PCs.

There is a distinct difference there: I think Cryisis is a severely under-appreciated title, and is easily one of the most enjoyable, fluid single-player FPSs and rightfully deserves its seat at the table next to Doom, Quake, Unreal, Deus Ex.. etc. But Skyrim did something strange, it made console kiddies look at PCs with envy. Crysis simply could not do that, despite it revolutionising the way we code modern game engines. Skyrim, with its wooden animations, terrible voice acting, and depressing world actually sold more PCs than Crysis ever could. I don't know if it was the availability of mods, or if it was just a terrible experience on console, but SO many console players became PC players in 2011 because Skyrim was just better in every single way on PC.
 
KazeoHin said:
Seriously, 2004-2011 were the PC dark-ages...
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I disagree. Really nothing changed much and PC gaming is just as strong as it always has been. The only major differences being:

1) Big companies started acknowledging digital sales which started to make up the bulk of PC sales starting ~ 2010.

2) Less games are moddable these days. Only a few high profile examples can be found from the last few years, Skyrim and ArmA. And even then the mods tend to be small. We haven't seen any massive total conversions like Counter Strike, Red Orchestra or Insurgency in years.

3) More traditionally console only developers are coming to PC, but this isn't because the PC is doing better. It is simply a fact that keeping games to one platform isn't viable anymore from a sales standpoint. Most developers are releasing on all the big three platforms to maximize sales and profits. The exception being those few games that MS/Sony pays. But again, even those are primarily by studios owned by MS/Sony.
 
Flogger23m said:
I disagree. Really nothing changed much and PC gaming is just as strong as it always has been. The only major differences being:

1) Big companies started acknowledging digital sales which started to make up the bulk of PC sales starting ~ 2010.
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This is also a big point. Steam was showing that a LOT of money could be made exclusively on PC through exclusively digital downloads. Steam is still the most sucessful gaming-centric digital sales platform, and the consoles have yet to break it's market share.


Flogger23m said:
2) Less games are moddable these days. Only a few high profile examples can be found from the last few years, Skyrim and ArmA. And even then the mods tend to be small. We haven't seen any massive total conversions like Counter Strike, Red Orchestra or Insurgency in years.
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Well, Modding was replaced by Indie. Before, a AAA game engine cost a minimum of half a million dollars, and the ONLY way to make a game was to code an engine from the ground up OR use an existing game and make a mod. Now we have Unity, Unreal, Cryengine, GameMaker, ALL kinds of cheap or even FREE game engines with buckets of included content. Mods aren't happening anymore because Games like Ark, Rust, Dayz, The Forest, FNaF, and the TONS upon TONS of independent games out there no longer need to use existing games to mod: The Engines are readily available.

Flogger23m said:
3) More traditionally console only developers are coming to PC, but this isn't because the PC is doing better. It is simply a fact that keeping games to one platform isn't viable anymore from a sales standpoint. Most developers are releasing on all the big three platforms to maximize sales and profits. The exception being those few games that MS/Sony pays. But again, even those are primarily by studios owned by MS/Sony.
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PC visibility is much higher, and With the average integrated CPU graphics being able to play a game at MINIMUM settings, it makes it so that the MAJORITY of new hardware owners have machines that can play games, unlike 10 years ago when integrated graphics could hardly run HD video, let-alone run a fully 3D environment with realtime shading. If you look at it that way, PC gaming has a HUGE market penetration to take advantage of, and devs/publishers are seeing that.

As I said, the PC has never been better.
 
Whether the plans to improve go through is anyone's guess.
 
Let's be honest though. That stupid Windows store is already installed. 90% of what is on it is junk. No, make that 99%. I think it would be great if more of these Xbox games find their way on there. I like the idea of buying a game on the Xbox, and I can activate the PC version too. Then if they make the cloud save work with it too. It would be really cool if Ubisoft or EA decided to use it, get rid of UPlay \ Origin.
 
Flogger23m said:
I disagree. Really nothing changed much and PC gaming is just as strong as it always has been. The only major differences being:

1) Big companies started acknowledging digital sales which started to make up the bulk of PC sales starting ~ 2010.

2) Less games are moddable these days. Only a few high profile examples can be found from the last few years, Skyrim and ArmA. And even then the mods tend to be small. We haven't seen any massive total conversions like Counter Strike, Red Orchestra or Insurgency in years.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say it's less, except for the 90s, most games haven't been very moddable, though there will be a few that are and get a whole lot of mileage from them. The GTA games, Just Cause, newer Fallout ones, Mount & Blade, Total War, Starcraft 2, Minecraft, etc.

3) More traditionally console only developers are coming to PC, but this isn't because the PC is doing better. It is simply a fact that keeping games to one platform isn't viable anymore from a sales standpoint. Most developers are releasing on all the big three platforms to maximize sales and profits. The exception being those few games that MS/Sony pays. But again, even those are primarily by studios owned by MS/Sony.
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Actually I think you might be wrong about PC not doing better. For Ubisoft, PC has moved up to #2 in sales, after PS4. It likely varies a lot depending on the game however.

I think the big thing that's different between now and 2004-2011 on the PC is the explosion of indie developers from crowdfunding and platforms like Steam or GOG. It's allowing pretty much any team who wants to make a game to get it out there and has led to practically a new renaissance in gaming.
 
Megalith said:
"I can tell you definitively that our team has never committed more resources to making Windows better for game developers and gamers, and that means any gamer on Windows 10, regardless of storefront or device," Spencer explained at the time.
Click to expand...

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