In October, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that Xbox Game Pass was heading to Windows PCs in some form. Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, today introduced Xbox Game Pass for PC and gave us an idea of what to expect, though we won't get full details until E3.
If you're already used to using Xbox Game Pass on your Xbox One , expect a very familiar experience. Microsoft is set to offer over 100 games at launch, including titles from 75 content partners and key publishing partners such as Bethesda, Deep Silver, Devolver Digital, Paradox Interactive, Sega, and of course Xbox Game Studios. Those in-house games from Xbox Game Studios will be playable using the Pass on their global release date, too.
Microsoft will also offer subscribers a 20 percent discount on all available games in the Microsoft Store and 10 percent discount on DLC and add-ons. Another piece of very welcome news that formed part of this announcement was the fact that Xbox Game Studios titles will be available more widely. In other words, expect to see them appear at release on digital stores such as Steam or the Epic Game Store.
In a bid to support as many games as possible and therefore attract more subscribers, Microsoft is pledging to fully support Win32, which Spencer explains is, "the app format that game developers love to use and gamers love to play, so we are excited to share that we will be enabling full support for native Win32 games to the Microsoft Store on Windows."
So as we expected, Microsoft is rolling out a game subscription service for Windows 10 that mirrors the same service already available for Xbox consoles. Add to that the existing promise of cross-platform and cross-network play for titles and you can see where this is heading. Microsoft sees the future of gaming as subscription-based and this is the clearest sign yet it intends to be the Netflix of gaming.
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Microsoft is scheduled to hold its annual Xbox E3 2019 Briefing on June 9, where we'll hear a lot more about Xbox Game Pass for PC alongside news of new games and "offers coming to PC players," Spencer says.
About Our Expert
I started working at PCMag in November 2016, covering all areas of technology and video game news. Before that I spent nearly 15 years working at Geek.com as a writer and editor. I also spent the first six years after leaving university as a professional game designer working with Disney, Games Workshop, 20th Century Fox, and Vivendi.
I hold two degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Games Development. My first book, Make Your Own Pixel Art, is available from all good book shops.
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