MS plans to return to PC gaming, by supporting STEAM on W10

[Notional]

I think there is a more updated list somewhere else, but this is the best I could find on a short notice...

 

To be fair, they have announced Gears of War Ultimate and Halo Wars 2 for "Windows 10", whatever that means, hopefully it'll be a Steam release, but afaik no one knows.

 

I haven't seen anything other than Gears of War that shows they're serious, but even then that could just be them throwing us a bone.

 

I LOVED Halo for PC. One of the first games I played multiplayer online, and I was fairly good. Amazing game.. Then I bought Halo 2, as I got Vista at launch (for free, legit copy). That game was so old and UGLY! I played like half an hour, then dropped it. Microsoft ruined everything Halo.

 

For me this is not necessarily about Microsoft releasing games, but about managing the Windows platform in a pro gaming way. For instance, Windows 10 recognizes when I launch a game, and pops up a message of how to take a screenshot. Things like that are nice as Windows can be updated later on to use this identifying feature much better. As for games, making XBONE exclusive games available on PC as well would be a start. I understand a delay, but as long as it releases within a reasonable time, it would be nice.

[old reece frost]

Give us Forza please, cross platform Forza would be great

[Trik'Stari]

Until I see an announcement saying "all Xbone exclusives will be ported to PC" I'm still calling bullshit on their "one ecosystem for Windows and Xbone" line.

 

That is all.

[NeatSquidYT]

Bring us 64 Bit FSX then i'm fine.

Whatever happened to the old Microsoft PC games that were good........

You mean Microsoft Adventure?

[Norman_the_Owl]

Nope, still not going back to steam

[Swndlr]

Steam? on Windows? wow revolutionary 

 

Basically they are going to do nothing

What a time to be alive amirite?

[Commander Llama]

Well, this is fine by me. Steamworks works, GFWL was almost nothing but issues. Halo Wars 2 on Steam here we go!

[General_Pox]

senior director for PC gaming in the Xbox group

I find his title amusing.

[Techhog]

Bullshit for media, if they wanted to really support PC gaming they would have at least, at least included a download steam app in win10 install/upgrade

No one gives a shit about xboxlive and store on win10 except those who probably already own consoles.

I disagree. That's taking it a step too far, as it alienates other platforms. On top of that, the number of PC gamers really isn't all that high in the grand scheme of things.

[zacRupnow]

I just wish they would ban Uplay on Windows 10 so buying Ubi$hit games means you can play them without having to pirate them.

[Humbug]

I don't understand the talk of unifying Xbox and PC into one ecosystem. They keep saying that but what does it mean?

As for supporting steam? Steam already works great... I don't know what Microsoft plans to do. I guess it's a PR statement. He can't really say anything else since steam are the guys who almost singlehandedly engineered the PC gaming resurgence.

[CyanideInsanity]

I think a lot of you are misinterpreting it. I'm pretty sure all they're saying is they aren't going to release all MS games on the windows store and exclude/remove games from steam.

[6God]

MS will of course acknowledge that other gaming platforms exist on the PC side of things, ut that doesn't mean they have to really try to support them beyond letting them exist in their sandbox. MS will no doubt restrict the sales of truly AAA titles to the Xbox Store, and allow full integration into what they have now - not selling them on Steam is the only thing I can think of that would differentiate things. 

 

By all accounts, and ignoring the internets hyperbole, the current integration of gaming in Windows 10 is pretty nice. Built in friends list, party chat, and a avenue for matchmaking all in one. Along with the ability to stream from a Xbox and soon stream to other devices. MS isn't half assing this like GFWL was.

 

TBH, hearing MS say "we will do more" is getting tiresome. They give us the OS and they fund the development of the API that makes the gaming happen - what more do they really need to do? They need to just stop talking about it. They gave us a huge sandbox, we can't expect more and they need to stop promising more  

[Misanthrope]

Great. Up next: Microsoft will make a consistent and focused effort in approaching designers by supporting monitors....even digital ones!

[Bouzoo]

Where do I sigh up for Alpha? Is it gonna be closed? What about Beta? I have to get in, will buy someones invite.

[RagnarokDel]

if STEAM was the only one making a profit, a whole lot of other services wouldn't still be around; like GoG, Origin ...

me? I'd rather support GoG Galaxy than STEAM

There's a difference between making a profit and making a steam-like profits. (and I'm not just talking about Valve here, anyone selling games on Steam is probably making much more money from it then they are on other platforms even when you include the 30% cut Steam takes) Do you think Steam is worth billions? Do you think Uplay is worth billions? Do you think Origins is worth billions? Do you think GoG is worth billions? I'm not talking about the game franchise they're selling on it but the platform itself. I dont consider any of these to be worth billions except for Steam personally. I'd honestly be surprised if Uplay has over 1 million active accounts. I think Origins is probably number 2 but I really really doubt it's anywhere close to Steam's numbers.

 

 

in june 2014, the concurrent users online record was 8 million, today it's 9 million + daily.

[RH00D]

I really want MS to make a windows specific app or feature that embeds steam on your windows. Like tile support. And yes i use steam tiles.

There was already a 3rd party app for that called PinSteam.

[LucidMew]

Where do I sigh up for Alpha? Is it gonna be closed? What about Beta? I have to get in, will buy someones invite.

 

You have to preorder it. /s

[burnttoastnice]

...SteamOS is pretty much DOA...

 

I LOL'd so much at this

[IAMSWIFT1]

if STEAM was the only one making a profit, a whole lot of other services wouldn't still be around; like GoG, Origin ...

me? I'd rather support GoG Galaxy than STEAM

I Like Origin Support,I Got Sim City On A Wrong Account,They Combined THe Accounts And Gave Me All The Sim City DLC

[Doobeedoo]

"because MS, beyond XBox services on Windows 10 doesn't hany any other intention for PC gaming - MS' idea of PC gaming doesn't go beyond XBox; that's their primary platform and will stay as such"

 

And yeah, this makes me sad whenever I see this. Their idea of PC gaming doesn't simply be that way which is Windows but some console.

[Snickerzz]

I honestly expected steam to be shipped with win10, or the minecraft win10 edition be on Steam or something.

[bcredeur97]

still waiting for FS XI

 

 

would be a good way to advertise DX12... just sayin'

[jakinov]

If you're expecting for every Microsoft published game to appear on PC then you are going to be disappointed because it's not likely going to happen. Microsoft needs to carefully choose what they want to bring to PC because they can't have people thinking "PS4 + PC and you get to play everything because all X1 games are on PC". I think Microsoft has been doing a decent (not great) job at supporting PC for a while now. I mean they aren't bringing you the main Halo series or Forza series but they have been at least adding GFWL games (e.g. Age of Empires III) to STEAM and then remastering (e.g. Age of Empires II, Rise of Nations) or porting other games to STEAM (Fable series, shitty Halo spinoffs); and of course they release "indie"/small games like Ori and the Blind Forest. Microsoft in the last 3 years has published 18 games on STEAM, they aren't all AAA games or anything but they are still doing something. And of course, don't forget that this year, since they got a new head of the Xbox division, they announced that these games are coming to PC:

• Fable Legends
• Killer Instinct
• Sea of Thieves (Rare's new game)
• Gears of War: Ultimate Edition,  
• Halo Wars 2
• Gigantic (new MOBA)

[Techhog]

 

If you're expecting for every Microsoft published game to appear on PC then you are going to be disappointed because it's not likely going to happen. Microsoft needs to carefully choose what they want to bring to PC because they can't have people thinking "PS4 + PC and you get to play everything because all X1 games are on PC". I think Microsoft has been doing a decent (not great) job at supporting PC for a while now. I mean they aren't bringing you the main Halo series or Forza series but they have been at least adding GFWL games (e.g. Age of Empires III) to STEAM and then remastering (e.g. Age of Empires II, Rise of Nations) or porting other games to STEAM (Fable series, shitty Halo spinoffs); and of course they release "indie"/small games like Ori and the Blind Forest. Microsoft in the last 3 years has published 18 games on STEAM, they aren't all AAA games or anything but they are still doing something. And of course, don't forget that this year, since they got a new head of the Xbox division, they announced that these games are coming to PC:

• Fable Legends
• Killer Instinct
• Sea of Thieves (Rare's new game)
• Gears of War: Ultimate Edition,  
• Halo Wars 2
• Gigantic (new MOBA)

 

Then make us get them a year later .