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Microsoft Announces Xbox Live For Any iOS Or Android Game (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the cross-platform-support dept.

Microsoft is bringing its Xbox Live network to iOS and Android devices. "The software giant is launching a new cross-platform mobile software development kit (SDK) for game developers to bring Xbox Live functionality to games that run on iOS and Android," reports The Verge. "Xbox Live features like achievements, Gamerscore, hero stats, friend lists, clubs, and even some family settings will all be available on iOS and Android." From the report: It's all part of a bigger push from Microsoft to make its Xbox games and services available across multiple platforms. Game developers will be able to pick and choose parts of Xbox Live to integrate into their games, and it will all be enabled through a single sign-in to a Microsoft Account. Microsoft is using its identity network to support login, privacy, online safety, and child accounts. Microsoft wants game developers to take a similar Minecraft approach and bring Xbox Live to more mobile games. Some iOS and Android games already have Xbox Live Achievements, but they're only enabled in titles from Microsoft Studios at the moment and this new SDK will open up Xbox Live functionality to many more games.

If you were hoping to see Xbox Live on Nintendo Switch then you might have to wait a little longer. "Our goal is to really unite the 2 billion gamers of the world and we're big fans of our Xbox Live community, but we don't have any specific announcements as it relates to Switch today," reveals Choudhry. Xbox Live on PlayStation 4 also looks unlikely, but Microsoft is open to the idea if Sony is willing to allow it. "If you've watched us for the past few years, we've taken a very inclusive approach," says Choudhry. "Phil [Spencer] has been very proactive on issues like crossplay, cross-progression, and uniting gamer networks, and we're willing to partner with the industry as much as we possibly can."

22 comments

  1. Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Luckyo · · Score: 1

    MS got crushed in this generation's console war by Sony, and got crushed in the PC market on its own OS by Valve.

    The only way for them to E3 it that is left, is to get into crossplay.

    1. Re:Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Embrace, Extend, Extinguish what? Clearly not their competition (i.e. Sony) so what exactly is it they are embracing and extending that you think they are hoping to extinguish?

    2. Re:Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The only way for them to E3 it that is left, is to get into crossplay.

      I think it is pretty evident that you do not understand that concept. Are you saying they are trying to extend iOS and Android games to then extinguish them? Even if that were somehow possible with this enablement of XBox achievements (you aren't very clear on how you think such a thing would happen) how would that benefit them? You said it yourself, their biggest competitor in the games market is Sony, are you thikning Sony are going to abandon their achievements system in favor of XBox? Seems unlikely. Also Sony have vehemently been against crossplay so that seems unlikely too.

    3. Re:Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by blackomegax · · Score: 1

      SaaS

    4. Re:Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      SaaS

      If they extinguish SaaS then that's a good thing :)

    5. Re: Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The same way they tried to fuck over pc gaming to push their xbox console during the days of gfwl. They will make the xbox live stuff on android and ios good at the start. Once it has some traction and gamers are hooked on it, they will cease development on it, not fix gamebreaking bugs and exploits and leave it to rot to make the experience as shitty as possible in the hope gamers will ditch the ios and android version of xbox live for the xbox and windows 10 one which they continue to make good. They tried this back in the day with gfwl. What they didnt bank on was gfwl gamers were willing to just ditch their games and move over to steam instead of getting a xbox console as microsoft had planned.

    6. Re: Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So you're saying they are trying to extinguish platforms with which they don't compete to get gamers to switch to Microsoft platforms, i.e. you think they are trying to extinguish mobile gaming. And then you think GFWL was an effort to extinguish what? Windows gaming? Why on earth would they want to do that? And even if for some reason you do assume that their motive was to kill one of their own platforms you then point out that such an effort failed anyway.

      People aren't going to abandon mobile gaming in favor of console gaming, Microsoft knows that but they are a services company and they don't give a crap if you're using Android or iOS because they have no competitor to them, so long as you're using their services on that platform. Same reason they are touting Office365 rather than perpetual desktop versions, their services group is the future, not the platforms one.

    7. Re: Embrace, Extend, Extinguish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are mobile games on the xbox and windows 10 app store too. They are also trying to get onto the ps4 and switch for console games. Theyre still pushing their own walled garden phone platform last i heard.

      Its all about having the best version/experience of playing the game on a closed microsoft platform. But instead of achieving this by making theirs better they make the experience on their competitor's platform worse.

      Gfwl failed at moving pc gamers to xbox because the gamer didnt just have to buy a xbox console - they had to rebuy their games too. If you look at how microsoft sells their games now they have a single license for multiple platforms so when its time to make the ios/android experience shitty, little johnny can just move over to the xbox /win10 app store without paying a cent to play the same game.

      Are you trying to say the gfwl shit didnt happen because you can find plenty of first hand stories about it from gamers that collaborate what i said about gfwl being left to rot before finally being abandoned. Just ask any pc gamer who was gaming 20 years ago. The only reason why some people can still play their gfwl games is because of hacked dlls and some publishers moving the game across to steam at their own expense.

  2. XBox is a dead man walking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    XBox is really dead as even MS does not believe in it anymore. Who would create any games for IOS or Android if they would have to pay first 30% tax to appstore vendor and then even more for MS?

  3. Yes, good point by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    The only way for them to E3 it that is left, is to get into crossplay.

    Although some might confuse your shorthand for the three E words for the E3 game conference, I knew what you meant here....

    Although I also now have the unfortunate image of Balmer in a dress.

    Shaking that off, I agree that they are attempting to steal something of real value from other platforms, the relationships between gamers - I really can't see Sony allowing this. I could see Apple not caring much, as they'd have to care about GameKit in the first place to care about it losing users...

    I really do not see this happening on the Switch either for the same reason.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Yes, good point by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Sony of course could nail M$ hard, real hard, include a boot to Sonyx a Sony Linux distribution on the playstation 5, not for gameplay but for everything else most users do. Now that would do real damage to M$, the only thing holding a lot of user to Windows 7 or 8.1 (ESAD windows anal probe 10) are games and the companies associated with PC games have become a real pack of cunts from one end to the end, Steam, Ubisoft, EA, EPIC, Activision, so fuck gaming on the PC and fuck windows 10 and fuck M$. It has all becoming to annoying to bother, keep in mind we are talking computer games, like they are only for fun and all this psycho unlimited greed is simply not worth bothering with for just a bit of gaming fun.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    2. Re:Yes, good point by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I really do not see this happening on the Switch either for the same reason.

      Actually, it could happen, and it likely will happen much deeper than you might realize. The Nintendo community isn't really that big of a community - friend codes and the like and all in all it's pretty janky. Even on the Switch.

      People talk about their friends on PSN or Xbox Live all the time, not on Switch.

      What's likely happening is Nintendo and Microsoft are in discussions on online play and handling friends and communities and quite likely there will be some arrangement where Nintendo leaves it to Microsoft and Xbox Live to handle and manage friend lists, chat, etc.

      (Face it - what was that oddball thing Nintendo suggested for chat?)

      Sony of course could nail M$ hard, real hard, include a boot to Sonyx a Sony Linux distribution on the playstation 5, not for gameplay but for everything else most users do.

      '

      Sony could, but they won't, because like any company in the lead, they'll be arrogant and believe they will be handed the crown again. (See the PS3). You already see it right now

      Another reason is Linux - Sony's already been burned badly on this, to the point of refunding everyone $20 or so.

      The only reason Sony is involved in crossplay is because of something bigger than Sony - Fortnite. And it took them so long to deal with it that it was obvious Sony was being Sony and wasn't trying to even deal with the problem - just hide and ignore the issue. Just claim Fortnite on PS4 is all you need. Only when it didn't go away after a couple of weeks did Sony give in to "consider" cross play.

  4. But we wanted NINTENDO to go third-party! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those dirty SJWs at Microsoft are going third-party instead of Nintendo! This is UNFAIR because Nintendo only has kiddy games!

  5. IT'S NOT THE BEER IT'S THE LYING, FAGGOT KEN DOLL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    " They see people almost being denied a supreme court seat because they once had a beer while in school." - No, he perjured himself under oath. It's not the beer, you lying faggot. IT'S THE LYING, YOU LYING FAGGOT.

    Kavanaugh pretended his "Renate Alumnius" was a badge of honor, that "boofing" wasn't anal sex (it was, I was alive then and that was the slang) and "Devil's Triangle" wasn't a drinking game. It clearly is.

    YOU TELL A LIE UNDER OATH AND YOU ARE A CRIMINAL. That he basically ATTEMPTED TO RAPE A CLASSMATE also didn't really rise to the occasion of a lifetime appointment to the SCOTUS without investigation.

    But with TRAITOR SUPPORTING DISHONEST FAGGOTS LIKE YOURSELF in charge? He sailed right through anyway, to lie another day.

    Dry your eyes, traitor. Your little perjurer didn't get caught - yet!

     

  6. Coney Island by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Early on in Xbox Live's development, the team had a motto: "Disney Land, not Coney Island". Looks like we've arrived at Coney Island.

  7. Deep State by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will this have Deep State communication options or did your service going down "fix" that issue?

  8. or an alternate theory.... by Somervillain · · Score: 1

    is that the new leadership wants to make money and realizes there are more dollars to be made by enthusiastic, satisfied customers than by being evil. Since Balmer left, they've supported Linux and open languages quite well. The old ways of restricted platforms is a complex and difficult task with a lot of risk. That embrace, extend, and extinguish trope is old and hasn't been since since the times when there were a dozen blockbuster video stores in my city.

    This could be a sinster plot to ruin crossplay or this could be a plot to get more people to like xbox live and pay for their services. This could be a plot to sell more microsoft games. This could be a plot to lower their dev expenses. This could be a plot to sell Azure gaming services.

    Which do you think is more likely? They are trying to open up new markets and revenue streams....or plotting an evil conspiracy that no one but YOU saw coming!

    What was profitable for the Bill Gates era really doesn't cut it in the modern landscape. I think Microsoft's new leadership sees that in order for Microsoft to be profitable and grow in the future, it needs to adapt its ways to world and how it is changing. It needs to evolve to find new markets as its old ones languish.

  9. Yawn... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... like seriously who cares about achievements/trophies being updated etc. Will this allow me to play the latest Halo or whatever exclusive Microsoft still has on a bog-standard Android phone without owning an Xbox? No? See how anyone would care?

    MS got crushed and now they're trying everything to appear friendly. If the exclusive games on console suck or almost don't exist noone will care.

  10. You have to pay for Xbox Live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So no thanks. And if it's free now, you know they'll be charging later like on console. I'm sure people who bought Microsoft's Xbox are not going to be the only lucky ones to pay for this service. They'll make it ubiquitous and then charge for it.

    So no, I'm not getting in on the ground level.

    1. Re:You have to pay for Xbox Live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a developer I'm not sure if I would get a cut of Xbox Live's monthly fee for including their service in my game. It seems like I'd be promoting their platform and then later they would erect a barrier of monthly fees for anyone who wants to connect through my game. In the long term I see this as digging a hole for ourselves.