Microsoft Studios VP Phil Spencer thinks cross-platform play between Xbox One and PC "makes a lot of sense." In an interview with AusGamers, Spencer said a "connected ecosystem" across a wide range of devices is where he sees "the future of gaming."
"I'm not allowed to leak things," Spencer told AusGamers. "But I think what you're talking about makes a lot of sense." Spencer pointed to Shadowrun, a cross-platform multiplayer game that launched on the Xbox 360 and PC in 2007, as something that Microsoft "learnt a lot from" despite its inability to find financial success.
"This connected ecosystem across all the different devices is definitely where I think the future of gaming is going," Spencer elaborated, bringing up multi-platform game Skulls of the Shogun and the Halo 4 rewards players can earn by playing Halo: Spartan Assault as prime examples. "You don't have to do it as a developer, but you have the capability and I think a system like Xbox Live across all those screens where you know who someone is and who their friends are, what their Achievements are and their progression is really critical to that."
The Xbox One launches in 13 different markets on November 22. The console includes an improved Kinect, headset for voice chat, HDMI cable and a redesigned controller. All who pre-order the special Day One bundle in Europe, available for the same price, will net a free copy of FIFA 14 or Forza Motorsport 5.