During today’s Windows 10 news briefing, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) revealed that Xbox One games can be streamed to PC’s and tablets running the new Windows 10 operating system.
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could play (Xbox One games) anywhere in the house?” Xbox division head Phil Spencer said during the event. “We have to put the gamer at the center of every experience.”
Users simply have to tether their Xbox One to a nearby Windows 10-ready tablet or PC, sync up a controller, and the console will stream gameplay to the linked device. This effectively gives the Xbox One its very own “remote play” functionality.
The cross-platform integration doesn’t end there: Microsoft has plans to let PC and Xbox One gamers interact with one another via multiplayer. At the event the company showcased this feature with Fable Legends, announcing that the game will launch on PC as well.
As for its actual games presence on Windows 10, Microsoft has simply mirrored the Xbox One’s framework over to the new OS.
That means you can interact with your Xbox LIVE friends on any device running Windows 10, as well as post on Activity Feeds, share, create and view videos with the Game DVR and more. All of these functions are even compatible with Steam games, too.
Certain aspects of Windows 10 will also symbiotically harmonize into the Xbox One as well. While details are scarce at how exactly Windows 10 will affect the console, we do know that DirectX 12 will be added to the system sometime in the future.
Windows 10 borrows key features from the Xbox One including the ability to capture, create and share games with Xbox LIVE friends.
According to Spencer, DirectX 12 has “given developers more fine control over CPU and GPU interactions” and allows them to “boost performance by up to 50%.” With the new API, developers will be able to maintain consistent frame-rates even during strenuous and complex environments.
Spencer also revealed that DirectX 12 will help for mobile gaming as well, and has cut power consumption in half, letting more mobile devices run demanding games.
DirectX 12 is already being used in a number of big-name graphics engines including Unity and Unreal Engine 4.
No plans were revealed to include Windows Phone devices as part of the cross-platform action, but we might hear more from Microsoft during this year’s Game Developer’s Conference in March.
For more info be sure to check out Xbox Wire.
