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Xbox Live Confirmed For Windows 8

News

by Jeff Cork on September 14, 2011 at 09:30 AM

7,264 Views

Microsoft is eager to expand its Xbox Live service beyond the console space, as demonstrated by its integration with Windows Phone 7, and it looks like that strategy is going to expand even further next year. Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Live is coming to PCs next year, when the new Windows 8 operating system launches.

"Bringing Xbox Live to Windows 8 is part of our vision to bring you all the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, made easy," wrote Microsoft's Larry Hryb on his Major Nelson blog. "At BUILD we are showing that it is easy for developers to create games for Windows 8 that take advantage of the power of Xbox Live. We have much more detail to share about the capabilities of Xbox Live on Windows and look forward to the opportunity to do so in the near future."

In other words, Microsoft says Xbox Live is super great. Surprise!

It'll be interesting to see just how deep the integration runs between the various platforms. Rumors that PC players will be able to play Xbox 360 games on their PCs seem ridiculously optimistic. At the same time, Xbox Live subscribers can already customize their avatars, chat with their Xbox Live brethren, and access their download queue on PCs via Xbox.com. If this move simply took that level of interaction and plopped it onto the OS itself, it would be a bit underwhelming. At this point, we'll have to wait and see what's in store for PC users on the Xbox Live front.

Email the author Jeff Cork, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, Microsoft, Xbox Live, windows 8

Comments

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by karadom Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 09:46 AM

Windows 8 looks terrible. The desktop is dead. I'll be sticking with Windows 7 for as long as I can.
by Gunfire Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 09:46 AM

''If this move simply took that level of interaction and plopped it onto the OS itself, it would be a bit underwhelming.'' Seems like it too me :(
by Rainbow Dash Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 09:51 AM

I doubt XBOX games would work on PC because that would require emulation - emulating a PS2 takes massive resources and puts most PCs on their knees. Emulating an XBOX would be impossible, unless it's somehow done via hardware and not software... Whatever. Either way, I look forwards to Windows 8, mainly because of the new user interface. Windows' current versions of the desktop UI, be it Longhorn or Aero, are really old-fashioned and inefficient. Finally, it seems that Microsoft are moving with the times. I'd still rather have a Mac though.
by Dean Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 09:56 AM

we will see how this goes
by sean Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:01 AM

that would be interesting to be able to play xbox 360 games on pc. i dont know that it would work good though because of emulation, but if microsoft actually found a way to pull it off and it works, that would be nice.
by Rich Perry Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:05 AM

Who knows, maybe Microsoft are going to develop a special bit of XBox Live for PC downloadable games, or start a rival downloadable service to Steam under the XBox Live PC name. Would be interesting indeed.
by nickpeck35 Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:11 AM

Can't wait to check out W8. I love how it will morph depending on the input devices plugged in (if any). Neat how it will go back and forth adding a lot of ways to interact with that. Love having more options :D
by Lancehead255 Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:14 AM

I don't get Windows 8. They're going for the live tiles of the Windows Phone 7, which works great for touch devices. How well that is going to work with mouse and keyboard, I have yet to see.
by ThisFreakinGuy Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:14 AM

Jeez I bet this will be expensive...
by db83 Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:23 AM

It looks like it was made for people who don't know how to use a computer. I'll be sticking with 7.
by chipsHH Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:28 AM

If Live and Win8 are "combining", then I see a hike in Live prices, DEPENDING on what's offered.
by JakeDaGr8 Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:35 AM

Gone get hacked way easier if its gonna be on the pc now..
by Elias Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:49 AM

This needs to be out NOW
by eyros2k Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:51 AM

I thought this was already the case with the whole Games for Windows deal... you login using the same credentials as your XBL account, and show online to XBL friends when you do that.
by Dee Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 11:05 AM

feel like this is too soon
by LouBattle Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 11:13 AM

I just purchased a CPU w/windows7 earlier this year. Upgrading to windows8 for me is a long way down the road. Hope it's everything everyone expects it to be though. I could care less at the moment.
by JiggyS4w Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 11:41 AM

I hope they will make what Valve did for PS3 with Portal 2 and we can play our multiplatform games in both PC and Xbox 360 by buying them only for one of them.
by Camonna Tong Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 11:47 AM

You guys got to remember. The UI from Windows 7 will be in Windows 8. (Not main.) The Xbox Live part is optional. And can be turned off. From seeing other websites post about this and people getting confused I figured people would as well here. No offense but the details it seems can get a lot confused. Only with research did I found out it was optional.
by Pizza Koopa Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 11:48 AM

I think somebody once said that xbox live would be an icon on the desktop of windows some day. Looks like they were right. I wonder what this could mean in the long run.
by Kethen Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 12:27 PM

I got an Idea for Microsoft. If you wanna build a gamer friendly OS, Strip it down to basically nothing so it can run full CPU for the game and not wasting a gb of memory on the OS. ( aint quite that much but its a lot) If you want a really fancy OS at least put a gamer mode button in so I don't have to remove all your fancy crap every time I do something remotely large. Also get a new advertisers cause Apple's advertisers are amazing. They could sell polished *** to all the hipsters in the World...o wait they do!