The number of console-only exclusives is only increasing every year. However, not all gamers have the ability or skill to play on consoles. For some, console gaming is quite difficult since there is no usual mouse or keyboard.
For others, having a separate Xbox console in addition to a PC and buying games for both platforms is impossible. Fortunately, Xbox is a fairly flexible console, and there are several ways to play Xbox exclusives (and more). We will talk about it in more detail in this article.
Сeating Your Own Stream and Broadcasting
This method was a very old but proven feature during the heyday of Halo and other cool Xbox-exclusive shooters. The idea was simple: for those who did not want to play on a gamepad, they created a separate broadcast from Xbox to PC.
It sounds simple, but it requires time. Instead of enjoying the best esports betting site, gamers adjusted the bitrate, fixed the sound on the stream, changed the quality towards optimization rather than graphics, etc.
Of course, such efforts paid off, and after several hours of difficult fixes, not everyone still wanted to play. Based on this, Xbox received several updates that simplified the path to console gaming on PC.
Xbox Play Anywhere
As the name implies, Microsoft has decided to provide gaming anytime, anywhere. As a result, the company has created the best way to launch Xbox games on a computer, which does not require creating your own stream and broadcasting images – using the proprietary Xbox Play Anywhere application.
But it has several features that make it better to call this “Xbox Play Anywhere But For Certain Games” feature.
If you purchased a digital version of the game on Xbox, it is linked to your account. Some games are marked Xbox Play Anywhere, which indicates that they can be played even on a computer without requiring a second purchase.
Moreover, you can play with the same saves and get achievements on both devices. Most Game Pass games are Xbox Play Anywhere. However, you need to check if there is such a note on the game page in the Xbox store. We can do this both through the website and from the application.
How to Install Xbox Play Anywhere and Play on a Computer
To do this, you will need a few simple steps. The system will generally configure the basic parameters, and the user will only need to connect an account.
- Download the Xbox app for Windows. Optionally, it is already available on the basic version of Windows 10 and 11 if updates are installed. If they are missing, download the program.
- Then open your Xbox games library. You can open both your own and the general catalog in the store.
- All games that can be played are displayed here. Immediately after purchasing a title, it will appear in the list (if supported).
- Select a game from the list and click the “Play” button.
Given previous experience with accessing game files on Xbox One, it is quite easy. Fortunately for gamers, Microsoft took care of this feature, but as stated earlier, there are drawbacks.
Disadvantages of Xbox Play Anywhere
Despite the extensive library of various games, including Xbox-exclusive projects, not all have a function for playing on PC. What is this connected with? The truth is it’s hard to say. Most likely, the reason is a lack of optimization and differences between the PC and console versions of games.
As mentioned above, such games have a special tag that indicates the possibility of playing on a PC or in the cloud. Luckily, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is included in this list, which should please PC gamers and fans of the Halo series.
Advantages
Microsoft was able to afford something that Sony is unlikely to be able to do in its new generation consoles – the ability to play games on a computer. This is understandable because Xbox and Windows belong to the same company.
This radically changes the approach to console games and, at the same time, allows you to be in two gaming niches at the same time – PC and Xbox Consoles. This makes it possible to play regardless of the platform, using anything, not just gamepads.
Conclusion
Which methods should I use? Both. Use one or two methods to play Xbox games on your computer based on your capabilities and goals.
The first method is simpler and allows you to play on the keyboard, but it has a limited library of supported applications. The second method is a little more complicated, but it does not have similar restrictions.
