Microsoft went on stage at the Game Developers Conference and announced that the Xbox One will support Universal Windows Apps starting this summer.
One effect of the decision is that the Windows Store and the Xbox Store will be merged.
This is good news for developers, as it means they can build cross-platform games and applications targeting the company's mobile OS, the desktop OS and the console ecosystem. One additional plus is that by allowing cross-platform apps to work, the life duration of the Xbox One will get prolonged, and coders will push new ways to enjoy the Xbox other than gaming.
Microsoft has a history of actions that aimed to join its console and PC operating system into a unity.
Last year, Xbox One received a number of cross-platform features: users are now able to stream video footage of their gameplay to PCs running Windows 10, explore the Xbox Live community and chat with fellow players from other platforms.
We are curious about what types of Windows apps will first land on the console. The best bet is that we will witness a cocktail of social media, streaming, messaging and content creation (be it music or video).
Jason Ronald, Microsoft's Xbox Advanced Technology Group leader, used his stage time at the Game Developers Conference to explain what Microsoft aims to achieve.
"We want all your players to stay in your game," Ronald says.
He added that Microsoft wants to encourage people to play games for extended periods of time, via Xbox Live.
The company also stated that it plans to launch "Xbox Live Tournaments Platform," a tool allowing coders who craft Windows 10 and the Xbox One games to create their own competitive eSports leagues.
It is easy to see why Microsoft chooses to court game developers with such diligence. Gamers proved time and again that few demographics are as excited and ready to adopt new technologies.
Uniting the Xbox One fans with Windows 10 PC gamers might be the first step in a long-running, winning strategy for Microsoft.
On March 30, the company will hold its Build developer conference in San Francisco, and we should learn more about the Windows 10-Xbox One integration at the event.
We will make sure to keep you posted.
