Could Xbox Exclusive Games Like Forza Be Coming To PC?

The long term speculation has been that Microsoft would move toward making Xbox One games compatible for PC players. After all, it owns both Xbox and Windows. With the launch of Windows 10, gamers will get one step closer to merging the two platforms with the ability to stream Xbox games to the PC and play cross platform multiplayer.

Why would Microsoft want to merge platforms?

As it stands, Microsoft’s future plans for merging its gaming platforms are no more than rumours. It has, however, acknowledged the fact that it needed to get back on track with PC gaming. There is a great amount of money to be made in both console and PC gaming, but it is not so simple to just merge the two. At this year’s GDC, Phil Spencer, head of Xbox Studios, said, “We want to make it easy for developers that are focusing on console and Windows to deploy in both places.” Having the common OS will make it easier, but it will be up to the game makers to decide if they want to take a few more steps to make this happen.

Why would Microsoft want to keep them separate?

Competition keeps the market booming, even if it’s internal competition. Have you ever noticed how two restaurants owned by the same company are often placed right next to each other? They may offer two very different types of cuisine, making customers feel as though they have a choice. No matter which one they pick, the company is still making money from their purchase. The same goes for the gaming platforms. A Mac owner may never be willing to make the switch to a Windows PC, but they could choose Xbox. Since many gamers tend to be loyal to their system, the best thing for Microsoft right now is to keep the two as separate options.

How Windows 10 Will Change Gaming

Here is what you need to know about Windows 10 and gaming:

• It comes with Xbox Live built in, so you can connect with the community on any Windows device.
• A Game Bar will give you the option to record your gameplay without third party software.
• You will be able to stream Xbox One games from any device in your home Wi-Fi network.
• Cross device multiplayer is a reality. PC and Xbox One players can compete in select games.
• The DirectX 12 graphics will be a major improvement during gameplay, and it gives developers management of the GPU to adjust at certain points in the game.
• It already supports 4K resolution, and 8K support is coming soon.
• There is no more Internet Explorer. Yes! Project Spartan will take its place.

The upgrade to Windows 10 will come free to Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users. If you’re tech savvy, you can sign up here to install Windows 10 as a work in progress. Be sure to read the warnings before diving into a project like this.

Last year, Microsoft showed a demonstration of Forza 5 on the PC. It later told Eurogamer that it was “…simply a rendering tech demo to showcase the power and ease of development for DX12. We have no plans to release Forza Motorsport 5, or any other Microsoft Studios Xbox One title on PC.” Fast forward to January 2015 when Xbox announces, “Fable Legends is just the first of the major game franchises from Microsoft Studios coming to Windows 10 and we will have more to share in the coming months.”

So, Microsoft goes from having no plans to offer Xbox games on Windows to here they come. That pretty much puts the possibility of a future merge back on the table.

Finally, I leave you with this:

There isn’t a tremendous request today for racing games like Forza on PC. - Phil Spencer

Do you think he’s wrong? You’re not alone. Dan Brownlee has started a petition to meet with Spencer and push to get Forza Horizon 2 on the PC. It’s not likely soon, but it certainly looks like the direction Microsoft is taking.