Xbox Play Anywhere continues to have a “AAA” problem — why are most publishers uninterested in supporting Xbox’s future?

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One of my favorite aspects of the 2026 Xbox platform is also one of its most frustrating.

Late last year, Xbox President Sarah Bond discussed her five-year vision for Xbox. The conversation focused on the company’s ‘Xbox Play Anywhere‘ initiative, which is known internally as Latitude.

Looking ahead to the next five years, our goal is for Xbox to be a platform that works flawlessly across all devices. We want to continue delivering a powerful and beloved console experience, while also allowing players to enjoy their games on PC, through the cloud, and anywhere else they choose.

We might reach that stage in about five years, but right now, in 2026, it feels like we’re just starting to explore the possibilities.

I’m really enjoying my Xbox Ally X. While it’s not perfect, it does the essential things very well. It turns on quickly and lets me jump right into games. It’s also comfortable to hold for extended play sessions, and the battery lasts a good amount of time. Plus, there’s a great selection of games available. I’ve been playing so much lately that I’m starting to run out of new things to play, though.

I dove headfirst into Fallout 4 over the holidays – it was great to see it added to Xbox Play Anywhere. And now I’m on my third time playing through Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which *also* just got the Play Anywhere treatment! It’s awesome being able to switch between my Xbox and PC so easily.

The Xbox Play Anywhere program has over 1,000 games, and there’s a huge selection of great games available on Xbox PC as well. But the main idea behind ‘Play Anywhere’ is being able to continue my game progress on any device, isn’t it?

It’s disappointing that when Ubisoft+ Classics became available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate last year, none of the games offered Xbox Play Anywhere support. This means you can play a game like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on your Xbox Ally, but your progress won’t carry over to your Xbox Series X or be accessible through Xbox Cloud Gaming because there are no cloud saves.

Last year, Ubisoft+ Classics were cited as a reason for a significant 50% price increase for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, but they don’t actually enhance what makes Xbox special. With even popular Xbox games like Halo now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Play Anywhere is now the biggest – and perhaps only – compelling reason to stay invested in the Xbox platform.

I’ve often stressed how important it is for Xbox to naturally expand support for Xbox Play Anywhere, and it felt especially important to bring it up again this week.

The first trailers for Resident Evil Requiem are out now, and they look fantastic! As a longtime fan of the series, I know I’ll be buying it the moment it releases.

In a preview on Xbox Wire, it was initially announced that Resident Evil Requiem would be available on Xbox PC (which Microsoft refers to as Xbox on PC). However, this information was incorrect and has since been removed. It now appears the game won’t be released on Xbox PC at all, and it also won’t support Xbox Play Anywhere.

It’s especially annoying because the previous Resident Evil game, Village, recently became available on Xbox Game Pass with Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning you can play it on both your console and PC. It feels like Capcom offered a glimpse of that same convenience, then took it away.

Capcom usually supports Xbox Play Anywhere, but typically only if their games are included with Xbox Game Pass. This seems to be a pattern with most major game developers – like EA or Ubisoft – they generally expect a deal involving Xbox Game Pass in return for their cooperation.

It seems Xbox PC gamers aren’t purchasing enough games to justify the small amount of work it would take to create a system for publishing games directly to them.

I can see why small, independent game developers might hesitate to spend the time and money needed to release games on Xbox Play Anywhere or PC. However, it’s more difficult to understand why larger gaming companies are so hesitant.

Xbox’s focus on Game Pass may have created a PC audience that only buys games if they’re included in the subscription service, overshadowing traditional game stores. Epic Games’ store has experienced a similar problem: lots of users come for free games, but don’t make many other purchases.

Xbox on PC has gained significant traction, notably with popular games like Fortnite and Roblox that aren’t offered on Steam. However, when it comes to major, $70 AAA titles – games such as Resident Evil Requiem, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, among many others – developers remain hesitant. While Xbox’s own first-party games are available, they can’t be solely responsible for building up the PC game library.

The decision to skip the PC release of Resident Evil Requiem, especially so soon after launching Resident Evil Village with Xbox Play Anywhere, feels like a clear message from Capcom. It suggests they only see value in the game when it’s part of the Game Pass subscription service. This is concerning, especially considering recent comments from Xbox President Sarah Bond about the future of gaming.

This is especially clear considering the next Xbox will prioritize PC gaming over console gaming. You’d expect developers to begin expanding their game offerings on the Xbox PC store now… unless they don’t intend to support the next Xbox at all.

Xbox PC needs to address several problems – like making games easier to find, understanding how players use the platform, simplifying its technical systems for game developers, and improving the financial incentives – because it’s currently missing out on many major, high-quality games. Something needs to change.

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2026-01-26 21:40