‘Final Fantasy Tactics’ highlights the lack of organic growth for Xbox Play Anywhere and the Xbox PC store

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If there’s one thing I love about the current Xbox ecosystem, it’s Xbox Play Anywhere.

The marketing tagline echoes: “This is an Xbox!” Microsoft aims to deliver your content across any device you’re utilizing at the moment. Fear not if you’re a PlayStation player; Forza Horizon 5 and Gears of War are here for you. Prefer Steam? Diablo 4 and Halo Infinite await. If you’re already an Xbox fan, purchase your games once and enjoy them on PC using the same save files without additional costs – all thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere, a key reason I stick with Microsoft’s platform!

Currently, more than a thousand Xbox Play Anywhere games are available, the bulk of which are primarily developed by independent game creators. Larger publishing companies have also joined the program at times, which is encouraging. However, the issue lies in the fact that these big publishers have shown significant inconsistency, making it very annoying as a customer.

Publishers really don’t want to give away two licenses of their games

Although Microsoft claims that games part of Xbox Play Anywhere are played 20% more frequently than those not included in the service, it appears that publishers may not be convinced unless they receive some form of incentive or reward from Team Green.

Last year, Square Enix added the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection to Xbox Play Anywhere and Game Pass, allowing me to play it across different platforms. I spent most of last Christmas immersed in these games, reaching as far as Final Fantasy IV so far. I played on my Xbox console at home, switched to Xbox Cloud Gaming when visiting relatives during the holidays, and used Lenovo Legion Go while traveling. Regardless of the device, I was able to continue my progress with the same save files and the same license entitlement, providing a glimpse into Microsoft’s vision for their gaming ecosystem.

Indeed, when the remaster of Final Fantasy Tactics was announced – a game from the series I haven’t played yet – I had high hopes that it might also get the Xbox Play Anywhere feature. Unfortunately, it appears that it won’t even be for sale on the Xbox Store for PC.

At this moment, you have the option to reserve a copy of Final Fantasy Tactics for $49.99 through the Xbox Store, PSN, and Steam. Unfortunately, it seems that the Xbox PC version has been overlooked in this release.

It appears that the adoption rate of games on the Xbox PC store is extremely low compared to other platforms like Steam. Despite Microsoft offering a more attractive revenue share of 12% compared to Steam’s 30%, AAA game developers are choosing to bypass the Xbox PC platform entirely in favor of Steam.

As a researcher delving into the world of game development, I’ve found it remarkably unusual for developers to voluntarily opt for their games to be sold outright on the Xbox PC store without a Game Pass deal in place. The specific motivations behind this decision remain somewhat elusive.

Regarding the number of visitors, it’s hard to argue that the Xbox PC store is poor, given the increasing subscription numbers for PC Game Pass as stated in Microsoft’s SEC reports. However, it seems that users might prefer borrowing games through PC Game Pass rather than making direct purchases. The 12% commission rate is more favorable than Steam’s, but there are tales of Microsoft’s store policies being stricter and more restrictive compared to Steam, which can create difficulties for developers.

Microsoft asserts that Xbox Play Anywhere games receive more playtime compared to titles without this feature. I too find it unlikely that a substantial number of consumers would be interested in purchasing games twice, and even if they were, it’s highly improbable that a game like Final Fantasy Tactics would offer cross-platform save file compatibility without Xbox Play Anywhere integration. There are some Xbox PC games that allow you to buy them twice and keep your save files synchronized across platforms, such as Warhammer 40K: Boltgun, but these titles are quite rare. In fact, locating them can be challenging due to the store’s unclear filters regarding game features.

In a surprising turn of events, Metaphor Re:Fantazio made its way onto Xbox Play Anywhere without an accompanying Game Pass deal, which I found quite unexpected. There’s no shortage of Xbox Play Anywhere and PC Game Pass titles waiting in my queue for play, but it’s disheartening when a game like Final Fantasy Tactics, which seems tailor-made for cloud gaming or handheld PC gaming, is met with a firm “no.

Can Microsoft convince developers to support Xbox Play Anywhere organically?

It seems quite puzzling not to embrace Xbox Play Anywhere at this juncture, given its minimal effort yet significant benefits for your game. This feature acts as a valuable enhancement, enabling you to leverage Xbox’s upcoming ecosystem features with ease. The convenience of playing your game on cloud or handheld PC gaming devices can significantly increase the visibility and player engagement for your titles.

I understand if developers prefer not to provide an extra license without charge, but could they consider letting me transfer my saved game data instead? After all, these games don’t offer a dual purchase option for playing on multiple platforms.

Here’s another scenario where SteamOS currently outshines both Windows 11 and Xbox in many aspects. Unlike these platforms, Steam allows me to utilize a single license across multiple devices with Steam installed. I can enjoy my Steam games not only on my main PC but also on a laptop, another desktop, or even a Steam Deck. In some cases, I can even play these games using NVIDIA GeForce Now. On the other hand, Xbox users are generally restricted to playing 99% of their games exclusively on the console itself for most titles launched on the platform.

In essence, it appears that Microsoft is attempting to make up for lost time by focusing on a retrospective approach. Instead of creating a portable Xbox device using my console licenses as initially anticipated, the project seems to have been abandoned.

Indeed, I’ve employed Final Fantasy Tactics as an example in this context. It’s merely one title, but it’s one of the numerous games introduced this year, neglecting the possibility of Xbox PC and not to mention Xbox Play Anywhere.

Why is that? And what can Microsoft do, if anything, to fix it? Time will tell.

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2025-06-05 19:39