Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Microsoft wants Xbox Game Pass on PS4. Cross-platform news expected at GDC 2019

By
PlayStation 4 Pro review
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s executive vice president of gaming, has continued to change the definition of “Xbox” over the last few years, releasing console-exclusive games on PC and even planning to offer Xbox Live services on Nintendo Switch. If Microsoft gets its way, however, things could go even further, including possibly offering the Xbox Game Pass service on PlayStation systems.

Speaking to GeekWire, Spencer explained that selling games and services to players is Microsoft’s biggest focus, and this extends beyond only offering them on Xbox or PC hardware. With Xbox Game Pass, subscribers get launch-day access to all new Microsoft games as part of their monthly fee, and they have unlimited time with the games.

Recommended Videos

“We want to bring Game Pass to any device that somebody wants to play on,” Spencer said in the interview.”

Related

Spencer stopped short of mentioning putting Xbox Game Pass on the PlayStation 4 specifically, but the connotation of his statement was clear. If Microsoft gets its way, the service will be on everything from PlayStation 4 to phones and Nintendo Switch.

Microsoft is already moving to have its games available for play on mobile devices through the Project xCloud program. The game-streaming service will let members play Xbox games on their phones, with special touch-based control schemes implemented alongside support for Bluetooth controllers. The program will also be compatible with the Xbox One itself, as well as PC, giving consumers more choice over how and where they play. This all could be playing into a new report that suggests the next Xbox One will be digital only, meaning it could go completely disc free.

Cross-platform play between Xbox One and other systems is already implemented for a small number of games. Fortnite players can enjoy the game across all devices, and Rocket League also features play between Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. With the exception of PS4 and a few legacy systems, players can also enjoy cross-platform play in Minecraft. As we move into the next generation of consoles, this should only continue, as there appear to be few technical limitations on cross-platform play.

It’s expected that Microsoft will reveal more information on expanded Xbox Live functionality during GDC 2019 later in March. As there is no achievement system on Nintendo Switch, we’re crossing our fingers that something can be implemented with the addition of Xbox Live support.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
You can get a month of Xbox Game Pass for $1 right now
A tv shows the new Xbox Game Pass that comes to Samsung Gaming Hub soon.

If you aren't currently signed up for Xbox Game Pass, you can currently get your first month for $1. The deal only applies to Game Pass Ultimate and its PC version, though, as the console-only version is still at its full price.

Early in the Xbox Game Pass era, Microsoft would offer $1 onboarding deals for the service. The trick helped the company build a massive user base early on, but it has moved away from that cheap deal in recent years as the service has become a household name with gamers. It's finally available again for anyone who's been waiting for a reason to subscribe, though it's not as eye-popping a deal as it once was.

Read more
Grand Theft Auto V makes its surprise return to Xbox Game Pass today
A man drives away in a boat with stolen money in Grand Theft Auto 5 art.

Xbox Game Pass is kicking off July with a major surprise, as Grand Theft Auto V has returned to the service. Rockstar's sales juggernaut leads an otherwise light month for Game Pass, which brings Capcom's Exoprimal as a day-one launch.

This isn't the first time that Grand Theft Auto V has been on Game Pass. It was previously on the service circa 2021 but removed from it that August. Rockstar has a history of putting its games on Game Pass for a brief window before pulling it, as it also did with Red Dead Redemption 2.

Read more
One of my favorite 2022 games just came to Xbox Game Pass, and you need to try it
Arcade cabinets stand in a room in Arcade Paradise.

When I think back to 2022, there are a ton of critically acclaimed games that stick with me. Naturally, I spent countless hours adventuring through the Lands Between in Elden Ring. Splatoon 3 and Vampire Survivors ate up my entire summer, while I still think about Pentiment and Immortality months later. There's one lesser-known game, though, that was a go-to I kept coming back to throughout the year despite the fact that it wasn't talked about nearly as much as any of those games.

That would be Arcade Paradise, a quiet 2022 standout that's now available on Xbox Game Pass today. Developed by Nosebleed Interactive, it's a unique simulation game that balances 90s nostalgia with a thoughtful look at the line between hobby and work. If you spent any time during your youth hanging around arcades, you'll want to give it a try while it's on Game Pass.

Read more