Phil Spencer Announces Developer Tools To Bring Games to Billions

Phil Spencer Announces Plans for Windows, Xbox I and Mobile

Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox at Microsoft, shared today at the Game Developers Conference, the company's plans for a unified vision for gaming across Windows 10 devices. And it'southward all nigh the developers, Spencer emphasizes.

"Hither at Microsoft, nosotros share a commitment to making sure experiences across all devices are meliorate than ever. That starts with making the development process easier by providing the tools and support our developers have asked for to reach billions of devices around the world. Equally nosotros press forward on the journey toward the launch of Windows 10, we'll continue working hand-in-hand with our developers to ensure that together we bring the best possible gaming experiences to gamers."

Beneath are the details shared with game developers today at GDC:

Xbox Live SDK Bachelor for Windows 10: In Jan, we announced our commitment to bringing Xbox Live to Windows and today we announced that the Xbox Live SDK for Windows 10 is currently in the hands of managed partners to create new games. Soon information technology will be in the hands of a broader ready of developers. This SDK will provide access to the vast bulk of Xbox Live services currently available on Xbox One, under a shared ready of APIs, integrated with the Windows Store. Nosotros are too committed to making Xbox Alive accessible to all game developers, regardless of size, which is why we're introducing a new tier of Xbox Live that is designed to allow any developer to appoint with the Xbox Live community.
Windows Universal App Platform: Windows 10 brings together one core operating system, i application platform, ane gaming social network, one shop, and i ingestion path across all Windows PCs, Tablets, Phones and Xbox One consoles – that's more than 1.5 billion people. With the Universal App Platform, whatever programmer can create a single projection to target multiple devices. It will exist easier than it has ever been to bring content to PCs, tablets, phones, Xbox consoles, and future Windows 10 devices similar Microsoft HoloLens. Developers will be able to exercise this and more when Windows x is bachelor this twelvemonth.
Windows Store: With the Windows Store, Microsoft is committed to delivering best-in-class scenarios for gamers and game developers. For developers, the promise of one store across devices means they volition at present have the power and flexibility to deliver content beyond PCs, console, tablets, and phones, easily and quickly. Similarly, by enabling new experiences such as cross-buy, developers at present accept more flexibility on the features they deliver to gamers across Windows devices.
Universal Evolution Center: The Universal Development Heart is the developer portal to building and delivering games to the Windows Store. It provides fast, lightweight game submission and update capabilities within the developer's direct control, as well equally access to key metrics to understand their game'southward functioning. Improvements in platform, tools, and Xbox Alive services, while reducing overhead of publishing, will foster more compelling game content and a richer, more engaged gaming customs.
DirectX 12: DirectX 12 enables PC developers to have a new level of power and control and is a single API developers tin can access across Windows devices. Equally shown with Fable Legends running on Unreal Engine 4, in that location has been a 20% improvement in performance. And equally announced today, Epic is creating Unreal Tournament using Unreal Engine 4 running on DirectX 12, which sets a new bar for visual allegiance in PC gaming.
Accessories: All wireless Xbox gaming accessories will be designed for and supported on both Xbox One consoles and Windows 10 PCs moving forrard. Afterward this year, we'll be delivering a Wireless Adapter that volition let you lot use current Xbox controllers and future devices wirelessly on your PCs.
Elite: Dangerous is Coming to Xbox One
We've long had a great publishing relationship with Borderland Developments, which is why we're and then happy to announce that their epic space take a chance Aristocracy: Dangerous volition be coming to Xbox One this summertime. Developed by famed designer and Frontier CEO David Braben,Elite: Dangerous combines elements of space take a chance, resource trading, and combat simulation to create a wholly unique feel that's quite literally out of this world.
ID@Xbox Program Comes to Windows 10
It's been an amazing year since we showed off the first ID@Xbox pre-release games last year at GDC. Many ID@Xbox games have shipped, hundreds of games are in evolution, and more one,000 contained studios have Xbox One evolution kits in manus. Today, we revealed that ID@Xbox will be expanding to assistance developers succeed by reaching gamers on Xbox 1 and Windows 10.
Gigantic Comes to Windows ten and Xbox 1
We're devoted to bringing the all-time games to Windows and Xbox which includes new IP and connected commitments from gamers' favorite studios. Today nosotros announced a partnership with Motiga to bring its starting time game, Gigantic, to Windows 10 and Xbox Ane. Gigantic is a five-on-five 3rd-person battle arena game with a beautiful fantasy fine art fashion where you select from an array of heroes with distinctive powers and play styles and wield your way through an areas to defeat your opposition'south Guardian – while also protecting your ain. Gigantic is optimized for both keyboard and mouse, and controller. Through the power of Xbox Live, we will be enabling cross-device play, and allowing gamers to choose how they want to play.
Microsoft HoloLens:Equally announced on January 21, Microsoft HoloLens is the world'south first fully untethered holographic computer running Windows x. Developers in the Windows ecosystem will exist able to create games to accomplish the masses through a system where they can designate their game's distribution even for future devices – devices like Microsoft HoloLens. The reaction to Microsoft HoloLens has been incredible. While there are going to be many uses and industries that have reward of Microsoft HoloLens and everything that holographic computing has to offer, gaming is a huge opportunity. For all the game developers out in that location, we encourage you lot to join the Windows Insider Programme to get the holographic APIs when available, and stay tuned for Build 2022, where we volition share more details.This is merely a kickoff await at some of the exciting updates coming that volition make gaming even better on Windows 10 and Xbox. Nosotros will continue to get together feedback from the game development community on our plans to ensure the games and content on Windows 10 and Xbox is the best it can be for gamers and for developers.