UPDATE:
Microsoft recently updated their statement to say that "...every new title published from Microsoft Studios that we showed onstage at E3 this year will support Xbox Play Anywhere," as opposed to the publisher's entire catalog. Original story follows:
It's safe to say that Microsoft's Play Anywhere program was a highlight of this year's E3.
Sure, the announcement may not have carried the same weight as something like a pair of new consoles, but the program could actually end up making a huge impact on how gamers purchase games. For years, there's always been a split between PC and console games ... but now, the line between platforms seems to be getting a bit blurrier.
Microsoft also recently confirmed that every game it publishes will be a part of the Play Anywhere program. Everything from Gears of War to Halo to Forza is up for grabs, and the idea of a console exclusive is starting to seem more and more like an outdated concept.
The benefit for gamers is obvious, as anyone who buys a Play Anywhere game will automatically get copies for both console and PC. It's something that few publishers have ever tried to do: Sony's cross-play was crippled by the poor sales of the PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo is still struggling to make its cross-platform play worthwhile. Meanwhile, Microsoft is seemingly taking advantage of the fact that it has an entire operating system under its belt, and it's all for the gamer's benefit.
... but what about the studios that are actually making the games themselves?
Again, these are just a few examples, and most PC ports launch without any issues ... but if Microsoft is going to mandate that all of its published games are going to need a PC port, how will that affect the developers? How will it affect the overall quality of the PC gaming market?
Look, we're not saying that PC ports are inherently bad, or that Play Anywhere developers are automatically doomed to fail — it's just that, considering video game development is already so tough, adding another version onto the pile could lead to trouble down the line. Plus, gamers have been trained to be wary of PC ports, regardless of the team behind them — while larger studios probably won't have any problems making the ports, it won't matter if gamers don't trust them. Just look at what happened with Batman: Arkham Knight: PC players still haven't forgiven Warner Bros. for pushing out a broken game, and that was nearly a year ago. If something similar happens with the Play Anywhere program, Microsoft could find itself in hot water — and developers could end up losing their jobs.
At this point, only time will tell how the program plays out — but it's important to remember that, for all of the good news that comes with the Play Anywhere program, there are some serious risks the come along with it. The system is universally great for gamers ... but we'll just have to wait and see if the same can be said for those who are actually making the games.
