Microsoft has recently made a bid to consolidate PC gaming and console gaming; the Xbox One, for example, now runs Windows 10, allowing Xbox users and PC gamers to play together and to stream Xbox One games to PCs. And it’s left some worried that Microsoft will simply start putting out cheap gaming PCs for the living room, enough that Microsoft felt the need to put those concerns to rest.
Interestingly, though, Phil Spencer is not ruling out making the Xbox One more like a gaming PC and, conversely, forcing PC games to be more like consoles.
It’s obviously the core of what Xbox is about…We also know there are millions and millions of gamers who access Microsoft [in other ways,] whether it’s Windows, their phone, Skype — it could be many different things every day. As head of gaming inside of Microsoft, I think about how we make sure that all of those customers feel as supported and engaged as the Xbox fans do who own a game console.
Come on, Phil, we know that’s just “bringing back Solitaire.” But joking aside, it does hint at what Microsoft wants to make happen; PC users are drawn to Xbox games while Xbox players are drawn to buying more PCs. The question is, can they make it happen?
The biggest obstacle, to our minds, is the fact that PC users really, really don’t want to upgrade. They’re happy with the PC they got at Best Buy a few years ago and will keep using that until it breaks. Part of the reason PC gaming stalwarts are fleeing for consoles is that the writing on the wall doesn’t get bigger or louder: If you want a huge audience, you’ll have to visit consoles and tablets to get it.
That’s the gap Microsoft will need to bridge, and to be fair, they’re making strides. But we’ll see what they have coming for consoles far, far later; any Xbox Two is far away on the horizon. But don’t be surprised if, when it arrives, it’s awfully close to a gaming PC.
(via VG 24/7)