Xbox activates a major unexpected feature on Steam that hints at future plans

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What you need to know

  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle supports Xbox cloud saves on Steam.
  • While some Xbox games have supported cross-saves and carrying over progress some progress, these titles were usually co-op or online-oriented.
  • It’s possible we could see Xbox cloud saves as a standard feature for future games.

As a seasoned gamer who has juggled between PC and console gaming for years, this latest development in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s early access release is music to my ears. Having to manage progress across multiple platforms can be a headache, especially when it comes to larger, first-party titles like Starfield. If this cloud save feature becomes standard, it would be a game-changer for gamers like myself who are constantly shuffling between their gaming PC and console.

Something interesting has been uncovered.

For those who have purchased the Premium Edition, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is now accessible earlier than usual. As I delved into Bethesda Softworks and MachineGames’ thrilling escapade on Xbox Series X, PC gamers diving into early access via Steam are spotting a unique characteristic.

According to @MauroNL3’s post on X (Twitter), the game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle now lets Steam users sync their save games with Xbox Cloud, making it possible for players to switch seamlessly between their Xbox consoles and the PC version on Steam without worrying about losing progress.

It’s clear that Xbox games playable on PC via the Xbox app offer shared Cloud saves through Xbox Play Anywhere, and certain online-centric Xbox games have already featured cross-platform saves between console and Steam, like Obsidian Entertainment’s Grounded or Rare’s Sea of Thieves. However, a single-player game offering this as a dedicated feature on Steam is unusual, making one ponder if this could become the norm in the future.

Reaction: Will Cloud saves one day be standard across Xbox and Steam games?

This is a fantastic upgrade, and I genuinely wish for it to become a common feature in the future.

I frequently switch between my gaming PC and Xbox Series X due to work requirements. Although it’s not a major issue for certain Steam games, the lack of progress saving across larger first-party titles such as Starfield can be annoying, especially when I want to quickly play or grab a specific screenshot. If this feature becomes standard in future first-party games like Avowed and DOOM: The Dark Ages, I’ll definitely make use of it.

Where else might we find similar features being developed? It’s hard to imagine cross-buying, but a more integrated Xbox experience on Steam is possible, potentially offering additional features that ensure consistency across platforms, regardless of where you choose to play.

It appears crucial since Microsoft continues to juggle multiple projects, such as testing non-Activision Blizzard games on Battle.net and developing a dedicated Xbox portable device. The team has begun fulfilling their promise of allowing users to play games they own via Xbox Cloud Gaming, and although an Xbox Mobile Store is yet to materialize, it’s still in development despite facing what seems like ongoing regulatory hurdles with Google, delaying its launch indefinitely.

While you’re hesitant about exploring the Nazi-themed archaeology world through the lens of Indiana Jones, I highly recommend reading my review of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. In this review, I express that the way every line is spoken, each scene is filmed, and even Indy’s smirk when solving a puzzle, all suggest that the team at MachineGames truly understands what makes Indiana Jones so unique. This game stands alongside the original trilogy with honor.

As a researcher of ancient artifacts, I’m thrilled to share that the Premium Edition of “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” is now accessible via early access. For those who opt for the Standard Edition, mark your calendars for December 9, as it will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass platforms. Excitingly, a PlayStation 5 version is underway and scheduled to debut in Spring 2025!

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2024-12-07 04:39